In gunfights on the Israeli side of the border, an Egyptian security guard killed three Israeli troops.
The armed forces of both nations claim to be jointly looking into the peculiar incident.
While pursuing narcotics smugglers, a police from Egypt claims to have entered Israel.
According to the Israeli military, the gunshots were believed to be related to a cocaine smuggling enterprise that was discovered overnight.
Two Israeli soldiers, a man and a woman, who were stationed in a remote area along the border, were reportedly shot and killed early on Saturday morning, according to the army.
After a superior officer was unable to radio them, their bodies were found.
The alleged attacker was surrounded and there was a shooting hours later, according to the Israeli military.
Along with the gunman, who authorities claimed to be an Egyptian policeman, a third soldier was also slain. In that encounter, a second soldier sustained injuries.
The Egyptian military issued a confusing statement in which it claimed that an Israeli security officer was hunting down drug traffickers when he was shot and killed.
Additionally, it expressed “sincere condolences” to the victims’ families.
The Israeli military claims that during the nocturnal operation against smugglers, contraband worth about $400,000 was seized by its personnel.
According to the army, soldiers are still looking for potential suspects in the region.
It is not clear how the policeman managed to enter Israel from Egypt.
The strikes, according to Israeli media, took place between Mount Harif and Mount Sagi, which are located in the Negev desert roughly halfway between the Mediterranean coast and the Red Sea resort of Eilat in Egypt.
According to Richard Hecht, a military spokesman for Israel, “cooperation with the Egyptians is ongoing and good.” Geopolitics is not at play here.
Since Egypt became the first Arab nation to sign a peace deal with Israel in 1979, this appears to be one of the most significant border incidents.
Even though the two countries have been referred to as having “a cold peace” lately, they have collaborated closely on military and intelligence issues, especially in the area of counterterrorism.