Left the base with an M16 and fired 15 bullets: Supreme Court intervenes and orders soldier to detention

The Supreme Court tightened the detention conditions today, Sunday, for a soldier accused of attempted murder using an IDF M16 rifle, ordering his transfer to full custody after he had been under house arrest with an electronic tag.

About two months ago, an indictment was filed against Yehuda Elbaz and another defendant, charging them jointly with attempted murder. According to the indictment, Elbaz, a soldier in regular service, left his base with his military weapon, an M16 rifle, without authorization. It emerged that his brother owed approximately 250,000 shekels to another person and was struggling to repay the debt. Against this backdrop, the soldier and his co-defendants conspired to attack the creditor and his associates.

On the night of April 27, 2026, the co-defendant lured the creditor and his group to a pre-arranged location under the pretext of settling the debt. The group gathered at the site equipped with stones, while Elbaz carried his military weapon. The co-defendant instructed him to open fire if the creditor or his associates arrived.

After Elbaz and his accomplices threw stones at a vehicle arriving at the scene, a scooter with two riders appeared. The group attacked the scooter with stones as well, forcing the riders to stop. One of the riders ran toward the group holding an "airsoft" pistol.

Upon noticing the pistol, Elbaz warned his accomplices, and they began to flee. At that point, the defendants decided to open fire on the riders with the intent to kill. Elbaz took a position in the bushes and fired at least 15 shots from a distance of about 40 meters. It is alleged that he did not stop firing even after both riders were hit and fell to the ground. The victims were hospitalized and required surgical intervention. Following the incident, Elbaz fled the scene and was only apprehended by security forces two weeks later.

While the District Court had initially determined that there was prima facie evidence in the case, it had allowed Elbaz to remain under house arrest due to his lack of a criminal record. The prosecution appealed to the Supreme Court, demanding his detention in prison. The defense argued that the soldier acted out of a sense of threat after seeing the airsoft pistol. The Supreme Court rejected this argument and ordered his transfer to full detention.

Judge Gila Canfi-Steinitz ruled to overturn the lower court's decision:

"He participated in organizing a violent event, armed himself with his military weapon, and lay in wait with others for the arrival of the victims. Subsequently, the respondent opened fire with no less than 15 bullets toward the two riders and did not stop firing even when they were wounded. Afterward, he fled the scene and evaded law enforcement for 14 days. These circumstances testify to the clear danger he poses."