Large Israeli forces sweeping the area to eliminate possible terrorist infiltration from the Sinai.
Unrelated: 5 IDF soldiers injured when their jeep flips over nearby.
Two soldiers were wounded on Wednesday in a shooting incident near the border with Egypt, the Israeli military confirmed.
Wounded soldiers being evacuated to the Soroka Medical Center, Be’er Sheva, October 22, 2014.- Photo: Eliyahu Hershkovitz
The two were soldiers from the mixed Caracal infantry battalion, one of them a female company commander. They were evacuated by helicopter to the Soroka Medical Center, Be’er Sheva.
Large forces were immediately mobilized to the area, near Azuz. They were combing the area to rule out a possible border infiltration.
A statement issued by the army did not identify the attackers. It remains unclear whether an anti-tank rocket was used in the attack, a military source said.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said that the military “will not hesitate to respond” to any attack against Israeli forces or civilians.
In a separate incident, five IDF soldiers were injured after a military jeep overturned near the place of the shooting, the statement added.
Injured soldier evacuated to hospital. – Photo: SOROKA MEDICAL CENTER
In September 2012, an Israeli soldier overseeing construction on the border was killed and another was moderately wounded when gunmen opened fire from Sinai, 100 meters away from the border.
In June 2012, an Israeli citizen was killed after gunmen set off an explosive device near the border fence and crossed into Israeli territory. Three terrorists penetrated the fence along the Gaza-Sinai border, placed an explosive device on Philadelphi corridor near Be’er Milka, and waited for Israeli vehicles to pass by.
In March 2012, two suspected smugglers, including one Israeli Arab, were killed in a shooting incident with IDF soldiers along the border fence.
View original HAARETZ publication at: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.622159
Israeli New Shekel Exchange Rate