On Friday morning, in a joint operation, Israeli security forces including soldiers from the IDF Duvdevan special forces and the Shin bet, arrested Muhammad Abdel Halim Abdel Alhamid Salem, 37, from the village of Al-Lubban al-Gharbi for suspicion of injuring four IDF soldiers in a car attack near the town of Beit Aryeh-Ofarim on Thursday night. He was interrogated and admitted to committing the attack. He identified himself as being a member of Hamas. Shin Bet interrogators reported he was motivated by, “the murder of Palestinian children.” Salem had been in Israeli prison for six months in 2001.

The soldiers were attacked while performing routine security operations along the road. After the attack, the black Isuzu was driven away but later abandoned. A search of the vehicle revealed an M-16 rifle and a stub grenade. It was theorized that a larger attack had been planned but the investigation revealed that the rifle belonged to one of the soldiers injured in the attack and it is assumed that it flew into the vehicle from the force of the impact.

Two of the victims are still hospitalized in moderate condition, one in light condition, and one has been released from the hospital. The attack was in an area of Israel near Tel Aviv that has been free of terrorism until now.

Also on Friday morning, a Palestinian attacker opened fire at IDF soldiers at the Jalamah checkpoint near Jenin. The soldiers returned fire, hitting the assailant. No Israelis were injured. The Palestinian terrorist was hit by three  bullets and is in moderate condition.

Early Friday afternoon, a Palestinian terrorist attempted to ram his car into IDF soldiers standing behind concrete barriers at the Halhul junction north of Hebron. The Israeli soldiers shot and killed the terrorist.

Two other terror attacks in Israel this week injured four people.