August 2012 Sinai attack
The August 2012 Sinai attack occurred on 5 August 2012, when armed men ambushed an Egyptian military base in the Sinai Peninsula, killing 16 soldiers and stealing two armored cars, which they used to infiltrate into Israel. The attackers broke through the Kerem Shalom border crossing to Israel, where one of the vehicles exploded. They then engaged in a firefight with soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), during which six of the attackers were killed. No Israelis were injured.
| August 2012 Sinai attack | |
|---|---|
| Part of Sinai insurgency | |
The attack site | |
| Location | Sinai Peninsula, Egypt and Kerem Shalom border crossing |
| Coordinates | 31°13′N 34°17′E |
| Date | 5 August 2012 |
| Target | Egyptian military base, Kerem Shalom border crossing. |
| Weapons | Rocket-propelled grenades, armored cars |
| Deaths | 16 Egyptian soldiers, 8 gunmen |
| Injured | 7 |
| Perpetrators | Mainly Bedouin residents of the Sinai |
No. of participants | 35 |
| Motive | Unknown |
The attack led to sharp condemnations from Israeli and Egyptian authorities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his condolences for the Egyptian soldiers killed, and praised IDF troops for their preparedness and handling of the attack. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned that the incident should be a "wake up call" for Egypt in dealing with terrorists in the Sinai Peninsula, while Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi vowed to retake the Sinai Peninsula and declared three days of mourning. The Egyptian government also closed the Rafah Border Crossing to the Gaza Strip.