Aharon Karov, the Karnei Shomron resident who made a miraculous recovery from critical wounds he suffered in Operation Cast Lead, has been promoted to First Lieutenant. At the same ceremony, others in his unit were decorated with combat pins.

Karov was wounded when he led his paratrooper force into a booby-trapped house in Gaza the day after his wedding. His troops saluted him and urged to return to duty as soon as possible.