Two Israelis Killed in Rafah; Two Wounded in Tubas

Israeli forces said two soldiers were killed and three wounded in a morning attack by Palestinian operatives in southeastern Rafah, naming the dead as Maj. Yaniv Kula, 26, and Staff Sgt. Itay Yavetz, 21, both from the Nahal Brigade’s 932nd Battalion. The IDF’s preliminary probe reported a cell emerging from a tunnel that fired RPGs at an excavator while sniper fire hit another vehicle as troops operated east of the Yellow Line to clear Hamas infrastructure. Israeli forces said they responded with immediate air and ground strikes, including against tunnel systems used to hold hostages. Separately, two IDF soldiers were moderately wounded in the West Bank town of Tubas after a Palestinian hurled an explosive device during offensive activity, and troops remain in the area searching for the assailant. The incidents took place amid broader West Bank raids, arrests and frequent settler attacks on Palestinians, and Israeli authorities say they have increased strikes and deployments in response to alleged Hamas ceasefire violations.