Staff Sergeant (res.) Refael Kauders
Staff Sergeant (res.) Refael KaudersCourtesy of the family

The IDF announced Thursday morning that Staff Sergeant (res.) Refael Kauders fell in battle in northern Israel.

Kauders, 39 years old from Tzur Hadassah, served as a coordinator in Battalion 5030 in the Alon Brigade.

His family has been notified.

Kauders was killed in Wednesday's UAV attack on a soccer field in the Druze town of Hurfeish, in which 11 people, including Kauders, were injured.

Ali Badar, a resident of the village who was at the field, told Galei Zahal, "There was no siren. We are used to this situation, but this time it was a real surprise - and it was even more stressful because we were at a practice with kids."

The IDF estimates that precise drones were used in the attack, and one succeeded in reaching the field and exploding in it.