Security Incident "Unusual" on the Egyptian Border: Israeli Army Clarifies

The Egyptian news channel, Al-Qahira, reported, citing a security source, that Egyptian forces thwarted an attempt to smuggle drugs on the Egyptian-Israeli border. It added that the forces arrested six drug traffickers south of the Al-Awja crossing, known in Israel as the Nitzana crossing. Hebrew Channel 14 reported that "the Karkal Battalion of the Israeli army thwarted a smuggling operation on the Egyptian border." It continued, "During the operation, the smugglers opened fire, putting the lives of the soldiers at risk, who responded by firing back. One smuggler was killed and several others were injured." The report mentioned that "around twenty suspects, including several armed individuals, had just crossed from Egyptian territory to the border area near the Nitzana opening. Israeli Defense Forces soldiers working in the area opened fire on the armed individuals, and several injuries were discovered." Follow-up sources reported that several Israeli soldiers were injured in the security incident, which renewed late at night.