IDF Soldier Severely Wounded in Accidental Shooting at Haredi Battalion Training Base

An IDF soldier from the Haredi "Hashmonaim" Battalion was seriously injured by gunfire on Tuesday evening at the battalion's training base in the Jordan Valley. The soldier was evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment, and his family was informed of the incident. The IDF confirmed the injury occurred due to a gunshot at the military base and that the Military Police Investigations Unit (MPIU) has launched an investigation into the circumstances. The findings will be forwarded to the Military Prosecution upon completion.

Initial investigations indicate that during a downtime period, three soldiers were together and allegedly began playing with a weapon in what was described as a "trigger-pulling competition." According to suspicions, one soldier loaded a magazine into his weapon, chambered a round, removed the safety, and pulled the trigger. The discharged bullet struck the neck of one of his comrades, causing severe injury. Following the incident, the IDF ordered an operational inquiry and temporarily halted training in the battalion to reinforce safety protocols and proper weapon handling among all soldiers. The MPIU continues to investigate, including the suspicion that unauthorized play with the weapon led to the accidental discharge.