An Israel Defense Force paratrooper killed Wednesday in a skirmish with guerrillas in southern Lebanon was identified as Lt. Ori Maoz, 22, of Yesud Hama’ala, a village in northern Israel. He was buried there Thursday.
According to military sources, Maoz was leading a routine patrol searching for Katyusha rocket launchers just north of the Israeli-con-trolled security zone in southern Lebanon. The patrol came under heavy fire from gunmen concealed in dense undergrowth.
Maoz was wounded and died on the way to the hospital. Three gunmen were killed.
Hezbollah, pro-Iranian group of Shiites, announced in Lebanon that three of its fighters were killed in the clash, including its eastern sector commander, and three were wounded.
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