Master Sergeant Saul Moyal, a 47-year-old resident of Karnei Shomron and a dedicated father of ten children, served as an essential frontline fighter in the 8207th Battalion of the Alon Brigade.

By Hezy Laing

In an extraordinary closing of a circle, Corporal Yehuda Moyal, a 21-year-old IDF soldier serving in the Kfir Brigade, reached the precise location in Southern Lebanon where his father, Master Sergeant Saul Moyal, was killed in battle.

The deeply moving moment, which captured widespread public attention through a viral video, took place as Yehuda’s operational battalion was actively deployed along the northern border.

Master Sergeant Saul Moyal, a 47-year-old resident of Karney Shomron and a dedicated father of ten children, served as an essential frontline fighter in the 8207th Battalion of the Alon Brigade.

He fell in October 2024 during an intense, close-quarters clash with Hezbollah terrorists.

Only a few short months after the devastating loss of his father, Yehuda decided to enlist in the military to directly continue his father’s defensive legacy, eventually joining the combat ranks of the Kfir Brigade.

Before crossing the border into Southern Lebanon for hazardous operational duties, Yehuda contacted his mother, Smadar Moyal, to seek her maternal blessing.

Without a single moment of hesitation, she firmly encouraged him to proceed, stating that he had an important historical mission to complete.

Upon reaching the exact geographic site of the tactical engagement, Yehuda stood proudly alongside his fellow soldiers to recite the Kaddish, the traditional Jewish mourner’s prayer, honoring his father and the other brave fallen soldiers from that specific battle.

Reflecting on his deployment, Yehuda noted a profound physical transformation in the local landscape.

He described how the densely built structures, heavy fortifications, and extensive terrorist infrastructure that his father’s unit faced two years prior had been completely dismantled by military forces.

Today, the entirely open terrain serves as a clear testament to the IDF’s significant operational progress in eliminating threats to northern Israeli communities.

Witnessing this altered battlefield provided Yehuda with a profound sense of closure, knowing that his father’s ultimate sacrifice paved the way for securing the region.

By carrying out this deeply symbolic act, the young soldier successfully honored the memory of his father while continuing the vital operational duties required to protect the nation.