Two Israeli soldiers were killed and eight others injured in a shooting attack at an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) checkpoint near Tayasir in the northern West Bank early Tuesday, the military confirmed.
The attacker, a Palestinian gunman armed with an M-16 rifle, was killed following an exchange of fire with Israeli troops that lasted several minutes.
The assault occurred just before 6 a.m. when the assailant infiltrated the checkpoint undetected and ambushed soldiers as they prepared to open the post for Palestinian traffic.
The fallen soldiers were identified as Sgt. Maj. (res.) Ofer Yung, 39, of Tel Aviv, and Sgt. Maj. (res.) Avraham Tzvi Tzvika Friedman, 43, of Ein HaNatziv—both members of the 8211th Reserve Battalion of the Ephraim Regional Brigade.
During the attack, the gunman managed to enter the army post and engaged troops in a prolonged firefight before being neutralized by reinforcements. Eight additional soldiers sustained injuries, including two in serious condition. The wounded were evacuated to hospitals in Israel for medical treatment.
Visiting the site of the attack, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi vowed a stronger military response.
“This is a difficult attack in which we lost two reserve soldiers,” Halevi said. “We will investigate, implement lessons, and expand our counter-terrorism operations to additional areas.”
Following the attack, Palestinian media reported an Israeli drone strike in the nearby town of Tamun, though the IDF did not immediately comment on the incident.
The attack comes amid Operation Iron Wall, a major Israeli counter-terrorism campaign launched on January 21 to dismantle militant networks in Jenin, Tulkarem, and Tamun. Over the past few weeks, Israeli forces have killed more than 35 Palestinian gunmen and arrested 100 suspected militants in the northern West Bank.
The West Bank has seen a sharp increase in violence since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. According to the IDF, more than 900 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank—most identified as gunmen or rioters. Meanwhile, 48 Israelis and security personnel have lost their lives in Palestinian attacks in Israel and the West Bank.
Comments