One soldier was killed and an additional seven were wounded before the military eliminated a terrorist who conducted a shooting attack at an Israeli vehicle next to the Talmon-Dolev Junction in the West Bank on Friday, the IDF announced Saturday.
The fallen soldier was identified as Sgt.-Maj. Ilay David Garfinkel, 21, from Sitria, a member of the Duvdevan unit of the Commando Brigade.
The commander of the 668th Ram Search and Rescue Battalion as well as another soldier were both seriously wounded in the attack.
On Friday morning, a terrorist shot at an Israeli vehicle next to the Talmon-Dolev Junction in the West Bank. Soldiers, along with a helicopter and a drone, pursued the terrorist and engaged in a firefight for several hours.
According to the IDF, the terrorist had acquired a sniper rifle, which he used to fire at Israeli forces attempting to locate and engage with him. Ultimately, a helicopter hit the terrorist and eliminated him near the junction.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi arrived at the scene afterward, along with Brig.-Gen. Yaki Dolf, commander of the West Bank Division, and Col. Netanel Shamka, commander of the Ephraim region.
Magen David Adom Spokesperson gives a detailed account of the attack
Magen David Adom spokesperson Zaki Heller released a statement to the press about the attack, saying that “MDA teams who arrived on the scene reported that, miraculously, none of the passengers in the vehicle were injured.”
He added that shots were fired at a Magen David Adom bulletproof ambulance, with bullets hitting the front windshield and the roof, but “miraculously, there were no injuries” there also.