Teen Israeli Soldier Takes His Own Life, Highlighting Growing Mental Health Crisis in IDF

Cpl. Dan Mendel Philipson, an 18-year-old lone soldier from Norway who immigrated to Israel and joined the Paratroopers Brigade, died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds at a training facility’s firing range, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed. The tragedy marks the fourth soldier suicide in recent weeks, prompting urgent efforts within the military to address a rising mental health crisis.

Philipson, nearing the end of his paratrooper training, was found critically injured at the Paratroopers Brigade training base and succumbed to his wounds over the weekend, despite medical efforts to save him. Military police investigators concluded that the soldier took his own life, though the motives remain under investigation. His funeral took place at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, drawing mourners to honor the young soldier who moved to Israel alone.

The IDF has faced a wave of suicides over the past month, with Philipson’s case joining three others. In one incident, a Golani Brigade soldier took his life after a military police investigation unrelated to combat or weapons misconduct. The next day, a Nahal Brigade reconnaissance trainee, also nearing the end of training and without combat experience, ended his life for reasons still unclear. Another case involved a recently discharged reservist who succumbed to mental distress linked to the ongoing war. The IDF stated that none of these cases appear directly tied to the military’s operations across seven fronts, including Gaza and Lebanon.

In response, the IDF is intensifying efforts to support soldiers’ mental health, planning to develop a platform for combatants to process wartime experiences and train commanders to identify signs of distress from combat or personal losses.