The IDF cleared for publication on Tuesday that two IDF reserve soldiers fell in the shooting attack earlier in the day between the Jordan Valley and Samaria.
One of the fallen was identified as Sergeant Major (Res.) Ofer Yung, aged 39 from Tel Aviv. He was a squad commander in Battalion 8211 of the Efraim Brigade. The second was later identified as Sergeant Major (Res.) Avraham Tzvi Tzvika Friedman, aged 43, from Ein HaNatziv. Friedman was a soldier in the 8211th Battalion, Efraim Regional Brigade. He is survived by his wife and six children.
During the incident, two reservists in the 8211th Battalion of the Efraim Regional Brigade were severely injured, and a further six reservists were lightly injured.
This is the same battalion that lost Sergeant First Class (res.) Eviatar Ben Yehuda when an explosive device exploded during operational activity in the village of Tammun south of Jenin. The soldiers' jeep drove over the explosive device. Four other soldiers were wounded, including the battalion commander, who was severely wounded.
The incident on Tuesday began inside the guard tower in the installation where 11 soldiers and their commander were. The terrorist was wearing a standard vest and was armed with an M-16 assault rifle and two magazines. He reached the scene on foot, snuck into the installation at night, and surprised the soldiers at dawn, just before 6:00 a.m.
The first soldier who left the tower with gear on him was ambushed right at the entrance to the position by the terrorist, who waited for an additional soldier. At that point, a gun battle ensued at very short range and lasted several minutes. All the soldiers fired at the terrorist from the rooms and the sentry area and the terrorist shot from the entrance to the guard tower. During the gunfight, the terrorist attempted to flee the installation.
After a several-minute gunbattle inside the installation, one of the soldiers threw a grenade which hit the terrorist. He was neutralized and two other soldiers eliminated him. A Hermes UAV tracked the terrorist from the air, but he was eliminated by soldiers on the ground.
