A major ambush in the northern Gaza Strip late Monday night reportedly left multiple Israeli soldiers dead and wounded, according to both Israeli and regional media sources. The incident occurred as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was visiting Washington, D.C. for meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The unit caught in the ambush has been identified as the Nahal Brigade, with reports suggesting that at least one of the casualties was a high-ranking officer. Additionally, one soldier is said to be missing, raising concerns that he may have been taken prisoner by Hamas.
According to Al-Jazeera, at least five Israeli soldiers were killed in what was described as a multi-stage ambush. The operation reportedly began with an explosive device targeting a tank, followed by successive attacks on two rescue teams responding to the initial blast. After additional soldiers gathered at the scene, a large explosion was detonated, triggering an intense gun battle between Hamas fighters and Israeli forces.
Israeli media reported that hospitals in the region had cleared their helicopter landing pads in anticipation of casualties being airlifted in. The scale and complexity of the ambush are being cited as among the most significant such attacks since Israel began its military operation in Gaza.
Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is currently in Washington, was at the White House for a 6:30 p.m. dinner meeting with President Trump when news of the ambush broke. Israeli media published a photo showing Netanyahu being briefed by aides on the situation. He reportedly left an earlier meeting with Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, due to the developing crisis.
Earlier in the day, Netanyahu and Trump had discussed a range of regional issues, including ceasefire negotiations in Gaza and concerns over Iran’s nuclear program. U.S. media reports that Netanyahu is confident Trump will authorize renewed Israeli airstrikes against Iran should Tehran attempt to rebuild its nuclear capabilities. The Trump administration claims to have destroyed several Iranian nuclear sites in airstrikes conducted on June 22nd.
The ambush follows another deadly weekend for Israeli forces, with two soldiers publicly confirmed killed in a separate attack. However, Israeli media reports suggest that at least five IDF soldiers may have died in that incident.