The border fence with Egypt in Eilat in southern Israel, on October 18, 2017. Photo: Yaniv Nadav/Flash90.

The Israeli military said it was exchanging fire near the southern border with Egypt on Saturday, shortly after it reported two casualties in a security incident in the area.

It was not immediately clear whether the incidents were related and with whom the military was trading fire.

Following the earlier event, spokesman for the Israeli military Daniel Hagari said “a security incident occurred in the area of the Paran Regional Brigade, in which two people were injured”.

Israel’s Army Radio reported that at least one gunman opened fire at Israeli forces close to the area around the Egypt border where two Israelis were shot earlier on Saturday while security forces were operating to thwart smuggling activity.

The latest condition of the casualties was unclear.

Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979.