Search

Israeli counter-terror commando, father of 6, killed in Jenin gun battle

Officer from elite counter-terrorism unit airlifted to Haifa hospital, but succumbed to his wounds several hours later.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

An Israeli police officer from an elite special forces unit was killed during arrest raids carried out in the Palestinian town Buqin, near Jenin, on Friday morning.

Noam Raz, 47, who was a member of the Yamam counter-terrorism unit, was hit during an exchange of heavy gunfire between Israeli security forces and Palestinian terrorists.

A married father of 6, he was evacuated via helicopter to Rambam Hospital in Haifa, where he was initially listed in serious condition, but died several hours later on Friday afternoon.

In a terse statement later in the morning, the IDF wrote on Twitter that forces including army troops and police commandos from the Yamam unit were operating in Buqin, promising “more details to follow.”

According to Arabic language police reports, Israeli forces arrested several wanted Islamic Jihad operatives, including Mahmoud Dabai.

Islamic Jihad warned that if Dabai, a high-profile member of the terror group, was harmed during the arrest or his detainment, Israel would face serious consequences.

Notably, Dabai had refused to surrender to Israeli forces, even after they surrounded his house.

In an unusual move aimed to force him out, security forces fired what appeared to be an shoulder-held anti-tank missile at the property, which blew a hole in the side of the dwelling.

Read  2 Israeli reserve soldiers killed in northern fighting

Video on social media showed smoke emanating from the hole, and later on, the building engulfed in flames.

Palestinian authorities identified that Daoud al-Zubaidi was seriously wounded during clashes between IDF troops and terrorists.

According to Arabic language news outlet Quds, Al-Zubaidi was shot in the abdomen by a sniper and is hospitalized in serious condition.

Al-Zubaidi’s brother, Zakaria, was one of six convicted terrorists who escaped from Gilboa Prison in northern Israel, in September 2021.

At least 13 Palestinians were injured during firefights with Israeli soldiers, though neither side publicly said how many people had been detained by Israel’s security forces.