An Egyptian army officer was killed during a brief exchange of fire with Israeli soldiers early Monday morning, Israel's Army Radio reported.
The initial findings of a joint Israeli-Egyptian investigation into the incident indicate that an Egyptian army patrol inadvertently crossed the unmarked border into Israeli territory while chasing Bedouin smugglers.
Apparently unaware that they had entered into Israeli territory, the Egyptians opened fire when they came upon an Israeli army patrol operating in the area. The Israelis returned fire and killed an Egyptian military officer.
A similar incident occurred in 2006, when three Egyptian soldiers crossed into southern Israel and while there engaged an Israeli army patrol. Two of the Egyptians were killed and the third retreated into Egypt in that exchange.