The present disclosure provides a solenoid assembly that includes a static housing, a plunger disposed within the housing and translatable along an actuation axis in response to a magnetic actuation force, an intermediate element disposed within the housing and surrounding at least a portion of the plunger that is also translatable along the actuation axis in response to a magnetic actuation force. A coil arrangement is disposed within the housing and provides a first and second magnetic actuation force in response to electrical excitation thereof. The coil arrangement is arranged such that the first magnetic actuation force is configured to translate the intermediate element and the plunger together with respect to the static housing, and the second magnetic actuation force is configured to translate the plunger with respect to the intermediate element. This can improve the stroke length of the solenoid assembly.