The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Friday that Sergeant Major. (res.) Assaf Kafri, 26, from Beit Hashmonai, was killed on Thursday afternoon during combat operations in the northern Gaza Strip. Kafri, a tank driver in the 79th Battalion of the 'Ha-Machetz' Brigade (14), was fatally struck in a combined terrorist attack near an IDF outpost.
Three additional soldiers were wounded in the incident — two seriously, including an officer from the elite Yahalam engineering unit and a reserve fighter from the same battalion.
"The fighters were evacuated to receive medical treatment at the hospital, and their families have been notified," the IDF Spokesperson confirmed.
This brings the total number of IDF soldiers killed since the beginning of the war to 849.
Attack Involved Sniper Fire and Anti-Tank Missiles
The fatal clash occurred at 1:45 p.m. on Thursday, during an operational mission near Outpost 39, not far from Outpost 40, where scout Ghalib Nassara was killed last Saturday.
According to military sources, the soldiers were hit by sniper fire, reportedly originating from terrorists in the Beit Hanoun area. The same group also launched an anti-tank missile at IDF forces stationed nearby.
The terrorists responsible for the attack have not yet been located. Following the incident, IDF forces launched retaliatory strikes on Hamas targets, aiming to isolate the combat zone and neutralize threats in the Beit Hanoun battalion — a Hamas stronghold previously targeted during operations in Jabaliya.
Threats From Tunnels and Roadside Bombs
The IDF believes the attacks may be linked to a broader resurgence of underground activity in the region. On Saturday, Scout Ghalib Nassara, 35, from Rahat, was killed during an operation in a buffer zone being expanded along the Gaza border. Three other soldiers — including a medic and an officer — were seriously injured in that attack.
Initial findings suggest the terrorists emerged from a tunnel previously identified by the IDF but not yet destroyed. The ambush included the firing of an RPG at a reconnaissance vehicle, followed by the detonation of a roadside bomb targeting the rescue force, resulting in Nassara’s death.
The attack occurred on what was considered a protected administrative route, just hundreds of meters from the border fence, typically used by light and open vehicles like Humvees.
Senior Commanders Responded on the Ground
The IDF Northern Brigade's new commander, Col. Omri Mashiach, was near the Erez outpost at the time of the incident. He immediately responded with a brigade-level scout team, joining efforts to isolate the combat zone and engage the attackers.
During a 27-minute engagement, as forces worked to scan and secure the area, another roadside bomb exploded, killing Nassara and injuring an additional scout.
The IDF continues to investigate the incidents while intensifying its operations in northern Gaza, focusing on eliminating threats posed by Hamas tunnels and sniper teams operating near the border.
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