(Communicated by the IDF Spokesman)
An IDF officer and two IDF soldiers were killed, and 25 soldiers were lightly injured yesterday morning in exchanges of fire with Hizbullah in Ayta a-Shab, north of Biranit: Lt. Ilan Gabai, 21, of Kiryat Tivon, St.-Sgt. Yonatan Einhorn, 22, of Moshav Gizmo, and Sgt. Michael Levine, 21, of Jerusalem.
This brings the number of IDF soldiers killed since July 12th to 36.
Forces have been operating in Ayta a-Shab against Hizbullah's terror infrastructure in the area. In the past few weeks the village has served as a launching ground of rockets into Israel. On July 31st, IDF ground forces took positions in the area of the village and are operating inside.
In the morning hours of August 1, 2006, heavy exchanges of fire developed between IDF forces and Hizbullah gunmen, who used light weapons fire, anti-tank missiles and "Sager" missiles against the forces. Forces returned fire and identified hitting dozens of Hizbullah gunmen.