A deadly shooting incident at the Allenby Bridge border crossing between the West Bank and Jordan left three Israeli security officials dead. The attack was carried out by a Jordanian truck driver who opened fire on the Israeli forces. The incident took place on Sunday, just hours after Israeli airstrikes in northern Gaza killed a senior aid official and members of his family.
The Israeli military stated that the attacker, identified as a 39-year-old truck driver from the Huwaitat tribe in southern Jordan, approached the border crossing in a truck, exited the vehicle, and opened fire at close range. He was subsequently neutralized by Israeli security forces. The Israeli military described the attack as a “terrorist act” and confirmed the deaths of three Israeli civilians.
In response to the incident, Jordan’s foreign ministry condemned the attack, stating that the country firmly rejects and condemns violence targeting civilians. The ministry also announced the opening of an investigation into the matter.
Following the preliminary investigation, Jordanian authorities concluded that the attack was carried out by a lone assailant. Authorities from both Jordan and Israel have closed the border crossing as a precautionary measure.
The shooting occurred in the commercial section of the border crossing, a region frequented by trucks transporting goods between Jordan, the Gulf states, and the occupied West Bank and Israel. This border area has largely remained peaceful since the signing of a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan in 1994.
In the wake of the attack, Israel announced the closure of all three of its land border crossings with Jordan. The Israeli army also reportedly cordoned off the West Bank city of Jericho, located near the Allenby Bridge, fearing potential involvement of other attackers.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the gunman, calling him an “abhorrent terrorist” and attributing the attack to the “murderous ideology” of Iran. He stated that Israel is surrounded by a “murderous ideology led by Iran’s axis of evil.”
The shooting incident comes amidst escalating violence in the West Bank, fueled by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The violence includes Israeli army raids on Palestinian towns and increasing attacks by Israeli settlers.
