IDF: Soldier hurt thwarting smuggling on Jordan border was hit by friendly fire

21 guns, 2 cars seized in the foiled attempt; military says reservist was shot, moderately wounded, by fellow soldier who fired at a smuggler

Judah Ari Gross is The Times of Israel's religions and Diaspora affairs correspondent.

Illustrative: View of the border between Israel and Jordan, in the Jordan valley, in the West Bank, on June 17, 2020. (Yaniv Nadav/Flash90)
Illustrative: View of the border between Israel and Jordan, in the Jordan valley, in the West Bank, on June 17, 2020. (Yaniv Nadav/Flash90)

An Israeli soldier who was moderately wounded while preventing a gun smuggling attempt on the Jordanian border this week was hit by friendly fire, a military investigation found.

The Israel Defense Forces seized 21 guns, including several assault rifles, as well as ammunition. Three of the smugglers were arrested and their two cars were seized, the military said Thursday.

According to the IDF, on Monday evening, the reservist soldier’s unit spotted the smuggling attempt along the Jordan border and moved in to stop it.

The reservist was struck when a fellow soldier fired at one of the smugglers, and sustained moderate injuries.

“The investigation is ongoing,” the IDF said.

The injured reservist was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. He remains hospitalized.

Guns and ammunition seized during a foiled smuggling attempt along the Jordanian border on June 14, 2021. (Israel Defense Forces)

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