A cell of at least 18 Hamas operatives attempted to raid an Israel Defense Forces encampment in the Khan Younis area of the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning, according to a military probe of the unusual incident.

Three soldiers were wounded, one of them seriously, in the attack, the IDF said.

The military assessed that the Hamas gunmen sought to kidnap troops.

According to a military probe, the attack began at around 9 a.m., with the operatives emerging from a tunnel in the south of Khan Younis and opening fire with machine guns and RPGs while approaching the army encampment.

Some of the gunmen managed to breach the encampment, where they exchanged fire with troops of the Kfir Brigade.

At least ten of the operatives were killed by the troops and in airstrikes directed by the forces, while eight managed to flee back into the tunnel, according to the army probe.

The IDF released footage showing the airstrikes and efforts by troops to repel the attack.

“The troops identified more than 15 terrorists who emerged from a tunnel and opened fire, including RPG fire, at the forces,” IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said in a press conference.

“In the same incident, several terrorists entered a building where our forces were residing, and the terrorists were eliminated. We are investigating how this occurred, and will draw the necessary conclusions,” Defrin said.

בקרבות פנים אל פנים: לוחמי חטיבת כפיר חיסלו כעשרה מחבלים לאחר שביצעו ירי........

© The Times of Israel