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Baruch Dayan HaEmet

DEVASTATING: IDF reservist Ofer Yung fell in deadly Jordan Valley attack 

Another soldier was murdered in the same attack, his name has not yet been released for publication.

Ofer Yung HY'D

Two Israeli soldiers, including 39-year-old Reserve Master Sergeant Ofer Young from Tel Aviv, were killed in an attack at a Pillbox military position near Tayasir in the northern Jordan Valley early Tuesday morning. The soldiers belonged to Reserve Battalion 8211, which has been conducting operational activities in the sector for several weeks.

This incident marks the second deadly attack on the same battalion in recent weeks. Just two weeks ago, the battalion's commander was seriously wounded and a soldier was killed when their vehicle hit an explosive device in Tamun. In today's attack, the deputy battalion commander, who had taken command following the previous incident, was among those wounded in the firefight with the attacker.

According to the military investigation, the incident began shortly before 6:00 AM when two soldiers left the Pillbox position to man a nearby checkpoint as part of their regular duty rotation. The attacker, armed with an M-16 rifle, two magazines, and wearing body armor, had apparently infiltrated the area on foot during the night and ambushed the soldiers at extremely close range near the post's entrance.

The attack initiated an extended firefight between the assailant and the remaining military unit, which consisted of 11 soldiers inside the position. During the exchange of fire, the attacker managed to enter both the military post and the Pillbox structure itself. While earlier reports suggested the attacker had reached the top of the Pillbox, the IDF has clarified this was not the case.

The incident concluded when one of the soldiers from the battalion commander's unit successfully hit the attacker with a fragmentation grenade as he attempted to flee the scene. This ended the shooting, and soldiers then confirmed the attacker had been neutralized.

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The IDF acknowledged that while an armed "Zik" drone was ready for deployment during the incident, concerns about potential harm to IDF forces complicated its use. Military officials have indicated that the incident will undergo a thorough review, with particular focus on how the attacker managed to approach the position undetected by the observation post at the top of the Pillbox.

In addition to the two fatalities, two soldiers were seriously wounded in the attack, while six others sustained light injuries. The identity of the attacker remains under investigation.

The military has stated that tactical lessons will need to be drawn from this incident, particularly regarding the early detection capabilities of the position's security measures.

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