The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Thursday evening that four soldiers were killed and three others wounded, one critically, in a bomb attack in Rafah, southern Gaza.

Preliminary findings indicate the incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. in the Jenina neighborhood. 

An armored D9 bulldozer was clearing the road, followed by two Humvee vehicles, when one veered onto the roadside and struck an improvised explosive device (IED). 

The explosion destroyed the vehicle, killing the four soldiers instantly.

The fallen soldiers have been identified as:

Major Omri Chai Ben Moshe, 26, from Tzafria, company commander in the Dekel Battalion of the Officer School (Bahad 1)

Lieutenant Eran Shelem, 23, from Ramat Yohanan

Lieutenant Eitan Avner Ben Itzhak, 22, from Har Brakha

Lieutenant Ron Arieli, 20, from Hadera

Ben Moshe was leading the company, while the other three were cadets who have been posthumously promoted to lieutenant.

The IDF stated that while Rafah has been largely cleared of Hamas terrorist infrastructure, several dozen militants are still believed to be entrenched, primarily in the Jenina neighborhood.