A Scrawny Hero

Meet David Markovitch:

IDF paratrooper Corporal David Markovitch foiled a would-be attack when he killed four Hizbullah operatives carrying an anti-tank missile in the village of Ghajar in South Lebanon on Monday.

Markovitch, a trained sniper, aimed at the rocket, which exploded and killed three of the terrorists. He then shot the fourth, whose body was taken back across the lines by other Hizbullah members. The IDF was holding the other three bodies.

Markovitch, who was drafted eight months ago, was described by an Israel Radio interviewer as "not especially large or threatening, even with a helmet on his head," and was eager to praise his commander and cohorts when grilled for details.

"We were four [soldiers] working together, everyone did his job. We wanted to duck and hide, but our commander, Natan, gave the orders. We're a team," Markovitch said.

He told reporters that "it happened that [we] were in the middle of things, but really, it was a miracle. Them not seeing us - it was a miracle." Despite being trained combat soldiers, Markovitch admitted, they were afraid. "We didn't know what was going to happen," he said. "We were panicked, but we did our job."

"The terrorist - I saw him, and then...boom. It was a matter of seconds, the entire thing."