Egypt and Israel reported that three Israeli soldiers and one Egyptian security personnel were killed near the border between the two countries on Saturday in a rare incident whose details remain unclear. However, both countries stated that they have opened a joint investigation into the matter. The Israeli army indicated that "an Egyptian security personnel shot dead two Israeli soldiers while securing a military post on the Egyptian border early this morning after the forces successfully thwarted a large smuggling attempt the night before." It added that "the security personnel and a third Israeli soldier were killed in a confrontation within Israeli territory hours after the initial incident."
IDF Southern Command chief Eliezer Toledano stated that the army treated the incident as a terrorist attack as soon as it became aware of the deaths of the Israeli soldiers. The Egyptian military announced in a statement the deaths of three Israeli security personnel and one Egyptian security officer during a shootout while the latter was pursuing a group of smugglers across the border. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed in a statement that "the bloody incident that occurred on the Egyptian border on Saturday is serious and unusual and will undergo a comprehensive investigation."
An Egyptian army statement noted that the Egyptian and Israeli defense ministers discussed "necessary measures to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future." Earlier, the Israeli army announced the killing of three of its soldiers and injuries to a fourth during gunfire directed at its forces at the border with Egypt, confirming that the attack was carried out by an Egyptian police officer.
In a statement, it mentioned that the police officer who carried out the attack was killed inside Israeli territory, adding that its forces continued search operations in the area to ensure there were no other attackers. The Israeli army explained that the exchange of fire occurred this morning and resumed in the afternoon, later announcing the killing of the armed assailant who fired at its forces near the border checkpoint between Egypt and Israel adjacent to the Taba (Nitzana) commercial crossing.
The Israeli army reinforced military presence in the area of the clashes, and senior officers arrived at the site to supervise the search operations in the region. The military also revealed that during the clash with an assailant inside Israeli territory, soldiers and commanders managed to fire upon and neutralize him. IDF forces continued their search operations in the area.
Subsequently, the exchange of fire renewed at the border with Egypt, resulting in the deaths of two soldiers in the IDF due to gunfire during a security incident at the border. The incident occurred in the regional police area of Paran, resulting in the death of a soldier and a female soldier due to gunfire near the border. The IDF is investigating the circumstances of the incident and conducting search operations in the area.
Additionally, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that combat helicopters from the Israeli army were dispatched to the area. In this context, Israeli media reported that forces from the Yamam special unit and drones were sent to patrol the border with Egypt amid concerns of other assailants. Earlier today, the Israeli army stated that an extraordinary and serious "security incident" occurred at the border with Egypt, noting that it was investigating the circumstances.
Furthermore, Israeli army radio reported that security forces clashed this morning with smugglers at the Egyptian border, citing military sources that security forces were dispatched to the site of the incident for search operations. Before announcing the deaths of the three soldiers, the Israeli army imposed a media blackout on information regarding the security incident at the border. In the meantime, the office of the Israeli Defense Minister announced that Minister Yoav Galant completed an assessment with the army and security officials regarding the clashes at the border with Egypt. In contrast, a military spokesperson from Egypt stated that a security officer crossed the border while pursuing smugglers, leading to a gunfire exchange that resulted in the deaths of three Israelis.
