Israel said one of its troops was ‘slightly injured’ in gunfire along the country’s border with Egypt, which Cairo attributed to drug smuggling.

One person in Egypt was killed.

The Israeli military said late on Monday the fighting happened near the Nitzana border crossing with Egypt on the Sinai Peninsula.

There were 20 armed suspects, it detailed.

The Israelis and the suspects exchanged fire, with Israel saying ‘hits were identified’ among the suspects. It did not elaborate further.

The Israeli soldier who was hit ‘was evacuated to a hospital to receive medical treatment and her family has been informed,’ the military said.

An Egyptian military statement on Tuesday described the suspects involved as trying to smuggle drugs. It said one person was killed and six people were arrested afterwards.

Egypt and Israel have had a peace deal since 1979, but Israel’s monthslong war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip has strained ties.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon