THREE Israeli civilians have been killed after a gunman jumped out of a truck and opened fire at the border crossing between the West Bank and Jordan.
Israeli military said the shooter came from the Jordanian side of the border and starting firing at security forces.
Security forces at the Allenby CrossingAFP
Security gathered at the scene of the attackAFP
A probe has been launched to investigate how and why the shooting took placeAFP
A shootout erupted, leaving three innocent civilians dead, according to Israel.
It was the first attack of its kind along the border with Jordan since October 7.
The victims are understood to all be men in their 50s.
The attacker was shot and killed by Israeli security.
Jordan has now launched a probe into the shooting, according to local reports.
The horror ambush unfolded at the Allenby crossing, which takes Israelis, Palestinians and tourists over the Jordan River.
The King Hussein Bridge has been closed as the authorities scramble to investigate the incident.
The area is under Israeli control, where Jordanian trucks offload cargo to enter the occupied West Bank.
The West Bank has seen a spike in violence after Israeli troops launched a campaign to weed out terrorists in the region.
The Israeli military said: “A terrorist approached the area of the Allenby Bridge from Jordan in a truck, exited the truck, and opened fire at the Israeli security forces operating at the bridge.
“The terrorist was eliminated by the security forces, three Israeli civilians were pronounced dead as a result of the attack.”
The IDF is checking whether the truck was loaded with explosives, The Times of Israel reported.
The manager of the crossing said the three Israelis were workers at the border and shot dead at close range.
Jordan, an Arab country, has held peaceful relations with Israel since 1994 when the two nations signed a treaty.
Dozens of trucks cross into the West Bank from Jordan every day.
Tensions continue to boil in the region as Israel pushes on with its goal of destroying Hamas after the militants launched the horror October 7 attacks, killing 1,200 Israelis and taking hundreds hostage.
The US is lobbying for a ceasefire with Qatar and Egypt also acting as mediators but talks appear to be at a standstill.
Hostility has also escalated after six Israeli hostages were killed by Hamas.
All six were executed by their captors roughly 48 to 72 hours before soldiers arrived at the Rafah tunnel where they were found, according to the Israeli army.
It is thought the six hostages were killed after their guards received a tip off that Israeli troops were approaching.
AFPTension continues to flare as Israelis demonstrate[/caption]
Israeli troops take position in a West Bank exerciseJAAFAR ASHTIYEH/AFP via Getty Images
The US wants Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu engaging in peace talks
More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online
Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.