Two Israelis were moderately wounded Friday by terrorists who opened fire after crossing from Jordan into Israeli territory, south of the Dead Sea.
IDF personnel rushed to the scene after the terrorists, dressed as Jordanian soldiers, were spotted by military lookouts, and neutralized both of the attackers.
The lookouts were deployed along Israel’s eastern border with Jordan along the southern Dead Sea area, near the community of Neot HaKikar, located about three kilometers (1.8 miles) from the border.
“Additional military forces have been dispatched to reinforce the area and are conducting searches on the ground and air for an additional terrorist who likely fled the scene,” the IDF said in a statement. “The public is requested to follow the instructions of Israeli security forces.”
Israeli Border Police and IDF personnel were also immediately deployed to the nearby city of Arad, located about 55 kilometers (34 miles) west of the site on a ridge overlooking the southern end of the Dead Sea.
There are several unrecognized Bedouin villages scattered in the desert area around Arad, which is just 24 kilometers (15 miles) from the so-called “Green Line” and the burgeoning Palestinian Authority town of Yatta, further complicating the search for a possible third terrorist.
Arab terrorism has skyrocketed since the Hamas terrorist organization launched a war against Israel on October 7, 2023, invading the Jewish State, slaughtering some 1,200 people and abducting 251 others who were dragged as hostages into Gaza. A temporary ceasefire and prisoner release deal freed some of the hostages in November 2023; 101 are still being held captive.
