The Israeli military said Tuesday nine more soldiers had been killed in Gaza, bringing its total war losses there to 187.

Most of the latest fatalities were from engineering units operating against Hamas tunnels in south and central Gaza, where Israel has shifted the focus of fighting after declaring the Palestinian Islamist group dismantled in the north Saturday.

Earlier on Tuesday, the military said four soldiers had been killed. The updated figure of nine, all killed Monday, followed notification of families.