JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The IDF announced that an Israeli soldier was killed and three others wounded, one seriously, after a grenade accidentally exploded late Saturday night at a military training base in the Jordan Valley.
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The incident occurred at around midnight between Saturday and Sunday in the living quarters of the Kfir Brigade training base in the Jordan Valley, adjacent to the community of Ro’i.
One soldier, who has yet to be named, was declared dead at the scene and the others were taken to hospitals for treatment. One was in serious condition and the others were described as suffering from minor injuries.
Initial investigations said that the soldier had brought what he thought was a dud grenade back from the firing zone and kept it in his bag – in violation of IDF protocol – and the grenade later exploded. The IDF military police continue their investigation and will decide whether to press criminal charges against the soldier if warranted.
This was the second fatal IDF accident in 2023, after the accidental discharge of a weapon at the Anatot base killed a soldier in early January. Last week a soldier was moderately injured during a training accident in southern Israel. The soldier was shot during military exercises at Tzeelim base in the Negev.