IDF headquarters, the Kirya, in Tel Aviv. Photo: Daniel Maleck Lewy/Wikimedia.

An investigation into an incident in which three young Arab men attempted to break into the Kirya — the IDF’s military headquarters in Tel Aviv — was released on Monday, finding that the attempt was apparently due to an altercation between the culprits and a group of Jews near one of the gates to the complex.

Israeli news site Walla reported that the incident, which began at 4:35 am last Friday morning, involved three Arab residents of the northern town of Nazareth. They were spotted by a security camera near the “Victor Gate” to the Kirya, apparently involved in a fight with several Jews.

One of the Jews drew a hand-held electroshock weapon and used it against one of the Arab men. The other Arab men then panicked and ran toward the Kirya gate, one of them leaping over a small barrier and entering the grounds of the complex.

A soldier recognized that the three men were approaching the base and reported it to an officer. Patrol vehicles, military and civilian police, and other security personnel were then alerted.

The investigation found that less than one minute passed before the man who had leapt the fence was tackled and handcuffed by Israeli police.

Although the suspect was quickly neutralized, the IDF is nonetheless defining the incident as an “infiltration,” and the investigation revealed that security personnel were authorized to fire into the air in order to deter the intruders.

However, security forces do not believe that the incident was an attempt at a terror attack, and the three suspects have been interrogated by the police and released.

The IDF singled out the Israeli police officers who apprehended the suspect for particular praise.