Spotlights on the desert lynx (Caracal caracal Schreber, 1776) attacking Israeli soldiers in the Negev desert, Palestine

The Desert Lynx or Caracal (Caracal caracal Schreber, 1776) is a rare wild vertebrate found in Palestine, although it may be common in many countries in Africa and Asia. It tends to be fearful and wary of humans and usually flees if confronted. This modest study aims to shed light on the infiltration of a Desert (or Egyptian) Lynx from Egypt and its attack on Israeli soldiers in the Negev Desert in southern Palestine on March 18, 2025. The incident began when a female Desert Lynx infiltrated an Israeli military base in the Jabal Harif area of ​​the Negev Desert. The attacks resulted in the transfer of five Israeli soldiers with varying degrees of injuries to a hospital for treatment and necessary tests to ensure they were not infected with rabies. After being captured, the female Desert Lynx was taken to Wildlife Hospital for medical examination. Tests revealed an old fracture in her right femur, severe weight loss, and infections in her teeth and nails. The study listed possible reasons for the Lynx's attacks on Israeli soldiers as starvation, habitat destruction, poaching, territorial defense, protection of young, rabies infection, fear and stress, seasonal behavioral changes, and escape from illegal capture. On the political and media fronts, Egyptian and Arab social media, websites, and news channels were abuzz with images, videos, articles, and posts glorifying the female Desert Lynx for her attack. This came as a result of these communities' stances on the devastating war Israel has been waging on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023. In previous incidents, 12 Israeli soldiers were seriously injured after being stung by Yellow Jacket Wasps (Vespula spp.) after an Israeli tank ran over their nest in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, in May 2024. In conclusion, although the Desert Lynx does not usually pose a direct threat to humans, its defensive behavior when threatened or stressed can lead to unexpected actions.