As hours pass since the thwarting of the bombing near the Gush Etzion junction, more details are emerging about the attempted attack that was miraculously prevented. It was revealed that the explosives that detonated last night did not contain standard explosives but were highly powerful and included gas canisters, which amplified the explosions’ intensity. Details from the investigation indicate that the terrorist who arrived at Karmi Tzur exploited the fact that the security guard opened the settlement gate for inspection and infiltrated the site by taking advantage of the opportunity.
After the attack, IDF forces carried out extensive operations in Hebron, where they arrested six wanted individuals and imposed a military blockade on the city to prevent any possibility of escape or additional terrorist actions. During the investigation, suspicions arose that alongside the two car bombs that left Hebron and traveled along Route 60 in Gush Etzion, there was also a third car bomb that has not yet been located. Numerous roadblocks are still deployed in the area, and forces continue extensive searches throughout the sector to find the missing vehicle and ensure there is no further threat.
During the initial debriefing, it was discovered that the two terrorists eliminated last night were Mohammad Ihsan Yakin Marka and Zahdi Nadal Tawfiq Abu Afifa, both in their twenties. As of now, the two are not known to the security system, and there are no clear signs of organizational affiliation or hostile background. One of the directions being investigated is whether they received guidance from sources outside the West Bank, including funding and planning for the triple attack they attempted.
Meanwhile, IDF forces are conducting extensive operations in the city of Hebron, which is associated with Hamas and from where the terrorists departed last night. Palestinians report several arrests of suspects in the large city during an IDF operation carried out early in the morning. During the operation, an explosives laboratory for manufacturing explosive devices was discovered in the city. IDF forces destroyed the lab and left the site afterward.
As reported during the night, the terrorists arrived in two car bombs via Route 60. The vehicles left Hebron in which Hamas has a strong presence. The attack began at 23:35 last night when a car bomb exploded at a gas station near the Gush Etzion junction. The terrorist in this vehicle was eliminated on the spot. Minutes later, another terrorist infiltrated the nearby Carmei Tzur settlement and was also eliminated.
Initial details suggest that the terrorist in Carmei Tzur broke through the checkpoint with a car bomb and attempted to run over the security guard. A security patrol officer in the settlement, who tried to prevent the car bomb from entering, collided with the terrorist’s vehicle and opened fire. The car bomb exploded, and the terrorist inside was also eliminated.
In the first attack, a 24-year-old combat officer was moderately injured, while another 34-year-old reservist officer was lightly injured. Both were hit by unintentional fire from IDF forces. In Carmei Tzur, the 28-year-old security patrol officer was lightly injured due to the collision with the terrorist’s vehicle. He was evacuated to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital and was released home after receiving medical treatment.
The Gush Etzion Brigade Commander, Col. Gal Ritz, who was called to the scene, was also slightly injured in his hand. Despite the minor injury, he continued to manage the situation and handle the incident on the ground. Following the two attacks, numerous forces were dispatched to Gush Etzion, including the IDF, Shin Bet, police, and other special forces. The Central Command commander arrived at Carmei Tzur and conducted an initial situation assessment on-site with the Judea and Samaria Division Commander, Gush Etzion Brigade Commander, Yehuda Brigade Commander, and other commanders.
In Carmei Tzur, intense searches were conducted out of fear that additional terrorists had infiltrated. Security forces searched every corner while maintaining high alert for any suspicion. More than seven hours after the incident began, the Home Front Command announced that the operation against the terrorist infiltration in Carmei Tzur had been completed. “It is now possible to leave homes and move freely in the area,” the announcement stated.
