Three Israeli men have been shot dead at a border point between Jordan and the occupied West Bank, Israeli officials say.
A gunman approached the Allenby Bridge crossing from the Jordanian side in a truck then got out and opened fire, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.
Security personnel “eliminated” the gunman and the IDF checked the truck over for signs of explosives, a statement said.
Jordan says it is investigating the incident, which happened in an Israeli-controlled area where Jordanian vehicles offload goods entering the West Bank. The border point has now been closed from both sides.
An Israeli official told the AFP news agency that those killed had been security guards who were not a part of the army or police.
Video footage showed the attacker walking to the terminal and firing his weapon three times before he was shot dead.
A Jordanian border official told Reuters that at least two dozen Jordanian truck drivers in the offloading area had been detained by Israel’s military for interrogation.
All of Israel’s land crossings with Jordan have been closed after the incident, the Israel Airports Authority said.
The Allenby Bridge crossing, also known as the King Hussein Bridge, lies about halfway between Amman and Jerusalem and is the only official crossing point between the West Bank and Jordan. It is also the only entry point to the West Bank that does not go through Israel.
Jordan and Israel maintain security, trade and diplomatic ties – though Jordan is critical of Israel’s actions towards Palestinians.
Dozens of trucks cross from Jordan daily to supply goods for markets in both the West Bank and Israel.
Credit: bbc.com
