Gunman crosses from Jordan, 3 kills 3 Israeli guards at West Bank border, says Israeli army

Men inspect a vehicle that was targeted by an Israeli strike in Tubas in the north of the occupied West Bank on September 5, 2024 amid an ongoing large-scale Israeli military operation in the Palestinian territories. (AFP Photo)

The Israeli military said a truck driver opened fire on Sunday at an Israeli border crossing between the occupied West Bank and Jordan, killing three Israeli guards before being "eliminated".

The deadly attack at the Allenby Bridge crossing, also known as King Hussein Bridge crossing, comes amid surging violence in the West Bank, with major Israeli military raids and attacks by Palestinians.

The military said "a terrorist" reached the area of the crossing, in the Jordan Valley, in a truck "from Jordan".

The driver "exited the truck and opened fire at Israeli security forces operating at the bridge", a military statement said.

"Three Israeli civilians were pronounced dead as a result of the attack," the military said, later clarifying to AFP that they were "working as security guards" and not in the army or police.

The attacker was shot dead by forces, the military added.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the assailant as a "despicable terrorist" inspired by "a murderous ideology" fuelled by Iran.

"It's a hard day," Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting.

"A despicable terrorist murdered three of our citizens in cold blood at the Allenby Bridge. I send my condolences on behalf of the government."

Jordan's interior ministry said authorities in Amman were "investigating the incident", and a Jordanian security source told AFP that the crossing's Jordanian side had been closed.

The crossing is the only international gateway for Palestinians from the West Bank that does not require entering Israel, which has occupied the territory since 1967.

Private security guards operate the crossing alongside Israeli security forces stationed there.

Israel's emergency medical service Magen David Adom said earlier that three people had died of gunshot wounds at the crossing, in what police described as a shooting attack.

Israeli media reports said the assailant opened fire at an inspection area.

The military said it had deployed soldiers to the scene to "rule out the suspicion of the truck being rigged with explosives".

Violence in the West Bank has soared since the war in Gaza broke out after Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel.

Since the October 7 attack, Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 662 Palestinians in the West Bank which Israel occupied in 1967, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

At least 23 Israelis, including members of the security forces, have been killed in Palestinian attacks during the same period, Israeli officials say.