2 female soldiers hurt in Hezbollah rocket attack leave hospital; 2 others recovering

Two women still hospitalized are stable after surgeries; they were wounded by falling shrapnel as Iron Dome downed rockets from Lebanon

Illustrative - A bombed-out car in Kiryat Shmona, July 11, 2024 (Lazar Berman/Times of Israel)
Illustrative - A bombed-out car in Kiryat Shmona, July 11, 2024 (Lazar Berman/Times of Israel)

Four IDF soldiers wounded during a rocket attack Saturday on the northern city of Kiryat Shmona are recovering, with two released from hospital on Sunday evening, Ziv Medical Center in Safed said in a statement Monday.

The soldiers, all women, were hurt by falling shrapnel as Iron Dome intercepted most of 15 or so rockets fired by Hezbollah form Lebanon. Several rockets that were not intercepted caused damage upon impact near the northern border.

One of the soldiers who is still hospitalized underwent successful orthopedic surgery on her ankle and is now recovering in stable condition, according to Ziv officials.

The fourth soldier, who was seriously injured in the attack, was hospitalized in intensive care and also underwent surgery. The hospital said she was now fully conscious and recovering, also in stable condition.

Both soldiers were transferred on Monday morning for ongoing medical treatment at a medical center closer to their homes, the hospital added, as they do not live in northern Israel.

The barrage from Lebanon was one of many fired at largely evacuated northern communities on Saturday, following an Israeli strike in southern Gaza targeting the head of Hamas’s military wing and another top commander.

Israel on Sunday confirmed that Rafa’a Salameh, the commander of Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade, was killed in the airstrike, but provided no update as to the fate of Muhammad Deif, the elusive commander of Hamas’s military wing.

Hezbollah, which has yet to comment on the Gaza strike, has traded almost daily fire with Israeli forces in support of Hamas since the Palestinian terror group’s October 7 onslaught against Israel triggered war in the Gaza Strip, stoking fears of a full-blown conflict in the north as well.

So far, the skirmishes have resulted in 12 civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of 17 IDF soldiers and reservists. There have also been several attacks from Syria, without any injuries.

Hezbollah has named 366 members who have been killed by Israel during the ongoing skirmishes, mostly in Lebanon but some also in Syria. In Lebanon, another 66 operatives from other terror groups, a Lebanese soldier, and dozens of civilians have been killed.

Emanuel Fabian contributed to this report.

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