Israeli Man Critically Wounded in Samaria Shooting Attack

A 30-year-old Israeli man was critically injured in a shooting attack near the settlement of Neve Tzuf in the Samaria region on Sunday, September 20, just before Yom Kippur. The assailant, driving a red Mitsubishi Outlander, opened fire on the victim's vehicle. The injured man was found in his car with his unharmed son and was evacuated to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva. Security forces, including the IDF and special units like Duvdevan, are conducting a manhunt for the shooter, who fled on foot with his weapon after an IDF soldier in a nearby armored vehicle returned fire without hitting him. The IDF has deployed additional forces and aerial assets to the area, and checkpoints have been established. Security officials fear the armed suspect may attempt another attack. Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan condemned the attack and called for intensified security operations within villages, including house-to-house searches for illegal weapons and dismantling terror infrastructure. He also demanded the immediate reinstatement of checkpoints and a shift from defense to offense to restore security for Jewish residents of Samaria. The attack occurred amid heightened IDF readiness in Judea and Samaria, in place since before the autumn holidays. Recent IDF operations in the region have included searches of over 1,200 buildings, the discovery of an explosives lab, and the questioning of approximately 930 suspects, with around 230 arrests and the seizure of over 100 weapons. The IDF has increased its presence and deployed heavy armored vehicles, including Eitan APCs, in the area, raising its alert level to maximum in anticipation of increased tourism and potential tensions during the Sukkot and Simchat Torah holidays.