Three IDF troops were killed and an officer was seriously wounded during fighting in the northern Gaza Strip today, the military announces.
The slain troops are named as:
Staff Sgt. Shoham Menahem, 21, from Yardena
Sgt. Shlomo Yakir Shrem, 20, from Efrat
Sgt. Yuliy Faktor, 19, from Rishon Lezion
They all served with the 401st Armored Brigade’s 52nd Battalion.
According to an initial IDF probe, the soldiers were in a tank that was hit by an explosion in northern Gaza’s Jabalia at around noon today.
The IDF initially suspected the tank was hit by Hamas RPG fire. However, in the hours following the incident, the military increasingly believes the explosion may have been caused by a malfunctioning shell that detonated inside the turret.
Other causes of the explosion are being investigated, the military says.
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