JERUSALEM, Israel - An Israel Defense Forces unit on a routine patrol Wednesday morning opened fire on a group of armed men attempting to enter Israel from the Egyptian Sinai, killing one gunman.

The confrontation took place along the border, about 20 miles north of Eilat.

When the infiltrators refused to halt, the soldiers opened fire, killing one of the gunmen, whose body remained on the Egyptian side of the border.

The others left an explosive device on the Israeli side of the border and fled back into Egypt. IDF sappers later identified and neutralized the device.

Egyptian security forces worked with the Israeli soldiers through the entire operation.

Attempts by terrorists to infiltrate Israel from Egypt are increasing partially because the IDF has been able to thwart most terror activity along the border with Gaza.

In April, an IDF unit patrolling along the border with Egypt near an area frequented by smugglers uncovered a bomb, which sappers detonated in a controlled explosion.

Last November, an Israeli patrol spotted a suspicious looking man carrying a sack, which turned out to contain a powerful bomb.

The terrorist fled the scene, leaving his payload behind, which sappers safely detonated.