Two Arab infiltrators were killed and two Israeli soldiers wounded today in the deepest penetration made into Israel to date by saboteurs. Israeli officials disclosed that the first contact with the marauders was made by helicopter and that the guerrillas shot at the craft, thus revealing their whereabouts.
The saboteurs, who came from the Jordanian border, placed explosives under a water tank near Arad about six miles from the border. The tank was damaged in the blast and a huge amount of water lost.
After the explosion an Israeli helicopter was ordered to pursue the infiltrators. While flying over the wilderness in the Judean Hills area, it was fired on. The helicopter landed and soldiers jumped out and began shooting, killing one Arab. Israeli foot soldiers continued the pursuit, crossing over the unmarked border slightly into Jordanian territory where the second Arab was killed. Other members of the intruder group managed to escape.
The guerrillas carried submachineguns and Russian automatic rifles. One of the documents found on one of the dead Arabs was a passport with several entries indicating recent visits to Syria. The condition of the two wounded Israeli soldiers was reported to be satisfactory.
Earlier this week, an Israel patrol intercepted a group of four Arab marauders entering Israel from the Jordanian border near Kfar Saba. The infiltrators returned to Jordan territory before the patrol could open fire. The Arabs left behind a container filled with explosives. Israel filed a complaint with the Jordan-Israel Mixed Armistice Commission at once.
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