US-Israeli family sues Iran after its terror proxy Hezbollah killed their son and 46 other US citizens

Omer Balva, an American-Israeli IDF soldier was killed in northern Israel on Oct. 20, 2023, after he was struck by an anti-tank missile fired by the Iranian-backed Lebanese terror proxy Hezbollah.

Balva, who was living in the United States, died shortly after he had rejoined his military unit during a massive IDF call-up in October last year.

Last month, Balva's parents Eyal and Sigalit and other American-Israeli families filed a lawsuit against the Iranian regime in the U.S. District Court of Washington, D.C. The lawsuit seeks justice for 46 U.S. citizens who were victims of Iranian-led terrorist attacks against Israel.

“We were very close. Not just father and son close, but like friends. I always promise him that I will keep fighting for him, that I will make him proud,” Eyal told The Times of Israel.

He recalled the traumatic day when the Israeli military informed him and his wife of their son’s death.

“When the doorbell rang, I said to my wife, ‘They are here to tell us about Omer.’ Even so, when I opened the door I said, ‘Tell me he is just injured.’ I knew they don’t come to your home to tell you someone is injured, but I wanted to make them say it,” Eyal recalled.

Hamas terrorists massacred more than 1,200 Israeli men, women and children on Oct. 7 of last year. Overthe subsequent multi-front war with Iran’s terror proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, an additional 46 Israeli civilians and 458 IDF soldiers have been killed.

The lawsuit against Iran was submitted with substantial assistance from Jonathan Missner, a close friend of the Balva family and a managing partner at Stein Mitchell Beato & Missner.

“I don’t know if I could do this without Jon. He was like a father to Omer. I know it’s going to be hard, but I have to do it for the memory of Omer. There has to be accountability for terror,” Eyal argued.