(JNS) An Israeli soldier and two Palestinian gunmen were killed overnight Tuesday, September 13 in a gun battle near the Gilboa crossing in northern Samaria, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

The officer, whose family was informed of his death, has been identified as Maj. Bar Falach, deputy commander of the IDF’s elite Nahal Brigade Reconnaissance Battalion.

“Bar was a dedicated soldier, who fought terror and led his troops until his last hour. The operation in which he was killed thwarted a major terrorist attack and saved lives,” said Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid.

The incident began when Israeli troops spotted two Palestinians crossing the security barrier and dispatched a force to intercept them, the military said in a statement. The force flanked the infiltrators and initiated an arrest protocol, at which point the terrorists fired on the Israeli forces, who returned fire, killing both gunmen.