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Itongadol.- IDF kills smugglers in return fire. The attackers who fired on an IDF jeep, injuring two soldiers, were drug smugglers who attempted to bring narcotics from Egypt\’s Sinai into Israel, it can now be revealed.
The IDF shot dead between three to six smugglers in return fire, which came from IDF ground units.
According to an initial army investigation, the jeep was fired on from three different directions, including a vehicle used by smugglers. The multi-directional attack was designed to pin down the jeep and kill the soldiers, prior to an attempted drug smuggling event, which failed.
The army views the incident as an escalation in the level of violence employed by drug smugglers, who are believed to have fired an anti-tank missile as well.
After being attacked, the jeep, containing Capt. Or Ben Yehuda, a female Karakal company commander, came to a stop. Ben Yehuda disembarked and opened fire, before reloading and continuing to fire.
She was hit by gunfire from Sinai.
Karakal\’s battalion commander then arrived on the scene together with reinforcements, and took command of the incident.
After the IDF killed the attackers, Egyptian security forces arrived on the scene and collected weapons and narcotics on the Egyptian side of the border.
It is understood that the IDF and Egyptian security forces cooperated throughout and after the incident.