Israel said the Egyptian border guard crossed into Israel and killed the three soldiers before he was fatally shot by troops.

The suspect was identified by the Israeli and Egyptian authorities as an Egyptian security officer. The deadly event may be connected to a thwarted drug smuggling attempt, the Israelis said.

Three Israeli soldiers and an Egyptian security officer were killed near the countries' border on Saturday, Israel and Egypt said, in an incident whose details remained unclear but which the countries said they were investigating jointly.

Israel said the Egyptian border guard crossed into Israel and killed the three soldiers before he was fatally shot by troops. Egypt said he had been chasing drug smugglers when he entered Israel.

A gunbattle involving an Egyptian border guard in southern Israel at the border has left three soldiers and the Egyptian officer dead.