Israeli soldier Liam Hazi killed in Samaria

An Israeli soldier was killed and four others were wounded Thursday during a firefight with militants in Jenin, located in the Samaria region, the Israel Defense Forces said. The clash erupted as part of an ongoing military operation targeting terrorist networks in the area.

Staff Sgt. Liam Hazi, 20, of the Kfir Brigade’s Haruv reconnaissance unit, became the first Israeli casualty in “Operation Iron Wall,” an IDF campaign launched on Jan. 21 to combat militant activity in Samaria and Judea.
Of the four wounded soldiers, one sustained serious injuries, while the other three suffered minor wounds and were evacuated for medical treatment, the IDF reported.

Hazi’s unit was conducting house-to-house searches when it encountered armed militants who opened fire at close range. The assailants managed to escape, prompting further search efforts by Israeli forces, the military said. The firefight marked an escalation in hostilities in the region, where Israeli troops have been carrying out intensified security operations.

In a separate development, the IDF announced that the Israeli Air Force had conducted an airstrike Wednesday in Samaria, killing 10 militants. Ground forces eliminated Col. Kassem Aklik, a senior officer in the Palestinian Authority security forces and a member of the Fatah movement, in Nablus. The IDF accused Aklik of orchestrating multiple attacks against Israeli targets.

According to the IDF, Aklik attempted to flee when Israeli forces approached the building where he was staying. Officers from the Border Police’s Yamam National Counter-Terrorism Unit intercepted him, and after he was found carrying a pistol, they shot and killed him.

The military described the airstrike and ground operation as part of a broader effort to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in northern Samaria in coordination with the Shin Bet. The IDF has been stepping up operations in response to increased militant activity in the region, including attacks targeting Israeli troops and civilians.

The latest violence underscores ongoing tensions in the area, as Israeli forces continue counterterrorism efforts amid concerns of further escalations.