According to the Israeli army, three Israeli soldiers have been killed and several others injured by a gunman near the border with Egypt. The incident unfolded when a male and a female soldier were discovered dead at an army post after failing to respond to calls on Saturday morning. Subsequently, during a search operation, a third Israeli soldier and the alleged attacker, described as an Egyptian policeman, were also killed.
The shooting incident occurred shortly after a drug smuggling operation was thwarted at the border. Israeli military spokesperson Col Richard Hecht revealed that drugs valued at 1.6 million shekels ($400,000) were seized after an individual used a ladder to cross the fence. It is believed that this event is connected to the subsequent shootings.
In a statement, the Israeli army confirmed that an investigation was being conducted in cooperation with the Egyptian army. The Egyptian military later announced that a member of its security forces had been killed during the operation against smugglers. However, they did not explicitly state that he was the gunman involved in the attack.
The incident highlights the gravity of the situation near the Egypt-Israel border and the inherent risks associated with smuggling operations in the region. Both Israel and Egypt are actively collaborating to investigate the incident and address any security concerns that arise from it.