A 17th IDF soldier has fallen in battle as the Israel Defense Forces continue to advance deeper into Gaza, the IDF cleared for publication Thursday morning.
IDF Lieutenant (res) Yuval Zilber, 25, served in the 7007th Infantry Battalion, Jerusalem Brigade. The Ramat Gan resident was on a trip when the war broke out but returned to report for duty, Ramat Gan Mayor Carmel Shama-Hacohen said in his eulogy.
IDF troops are continuing to strike terrorists and destroy terror infrastructure throughout the Gaza Strip; IDF troops confronted several terrorist cells in the northern Gaza Strip during which dozens of terrorists were killed.
During the night, IDF fighters from the Golani Brigade and armored forces encountered terrorist squads who fired anti-tank fire at them, set off explosive devices and threw grenades. The forces waged prolonged battles with the terrorists in northern Gaza, with the help of brigade fire from artillery and tanks, while directing a helicopter to attack from the air and a missile strike from a navy ship at sea. At the end of the fighting, dozens of terrorists were killed.
In addition, during ground operations in the Gaza Strip, a terrorist cell fired at Nahal fighters. The troops directed an aircraft in a strike that killed the terrorists. IDF reserve troops, while receiving covering fire from the Israeli Navy, coordinated with aerial forces and directed an aircraft in a strike that neutralized an additional terrorist squad that planned to fire anti-tank missiles toward IDF soldiers.
Over the past few days, IDF soldiers from the 36th Division killed numerous terrorists and directed aircraft strikes on Hamas terror targets, which included both weapons manufacturing and storage facilities, anti-tank missile launching posts, and UAV launching posts.
