Jordan apprehends Israeli who swam toward kingdom via Red Sea

The Jordanian military said on Sunday that it had detained a suspect who tried to swim into the kingdom’s territory from Israel via the Red Sea the previous day.

In a statement citing a military source, the Jordanian Armed Forces said that on Saturday, the Royal Jordanian Navy spotted an individual “attempting to infiltrate from the Israeli side by swimming toward Jordanian territorial waters.”

The incident took place in the Gulf of Eilat/Aqaba.

Navy forces apprehended the man at sea and “transferred him to the relevant authorities,” the Jordanian statement added.

The Israel Defense Forces, in a statement, said it had received a report of the incident and that since then, Israeli security authorities “have been working through the relevant channels to ensure his safe return.”

“The IDF emphasizes that crossing the border into Jordan outside an authorized border crossing is prohibited, poses a danger to Israeli citizens, and constitutes a violation of the law,” the Israeli military added.

The incident was reported hours after an attempted illegal crossing from Jordan to Israel was thwarted by the IDF.

Overnight between Saturday and Sunday, six suspects were detained by troops after crossing from Jordan into Israeli territory, according to the military.

An initial investigation by the army found that the six were so-called work migrants. They were handed over to law enforcement for further questioning.

According to the Ynet news outlet, the suspects have Turkish and Sri Lankan citizenship.

Unlike other instances of Israelis illegally entering neighboring countries, Jerusalem and Amman have full diplomatic relations, and it is not difficult for Israelis to visit Jordan via any of the three main land border crossings. Two of the crossings provide tourist visas to Israelis on the spot, while Jordanians wishing to enter Israel must obtain a visa in advance.

Illegal crossings between Israel and Jordan, while rare, still happen occasionally.

In September 2025, two Israeli soldiers were killed in a shooting and stabbing attack near Allenby Crossing between the West Bank and Jordan by a Jordanian assailant who had been driving a humanitarian aid truck headed for the Gaza Strip.