Man Dies After Terror Attack Near Israeli Settlement; Manhunt Underway

A man in his 40s died Sunday, September 20, after being shot near the Ein Riyya spring close to the Neve Tzuf settlement in the Binyamin region. He was found unconscious in his vehicle and rushed to Beilinson Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead. His son, who was in the car, was unharmed.

The Israeli military (IDF) is conducting a manhunt for the assailant, who fled the scene on foot after opening fire. Security forces, including the Duvdevan unit, have been deployed to the area, and Israeli Air Force aircraft, including a combat helicopter, are assisting in the search. Checkpoints have been established throughout the region, and security officials fear the armed suspect may attempt another attack. Surveillance footage captured the attacker's red Mitsubishi Outlander. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has ordered additional forces to join the search.

Shortly after the initial attack, soldiers from the 890th Battalion of the Paratroopers Brigade neutralized a terrorist attempting a car ramming attack near the Ganim settlement in the Menashe Brigade's area of responsibility. Another terrorist in the vehicle was apprehended. No Israeli soldiers were injured in this second incident.

Local leaders condemned the attack. Yisrael Gantz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council, stated, "The residents come to the spring on the eve of Yom Kippur, and a terrorist comes here armed with an M-16 and opens fire on them. We are strong and will overcome this." Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, called for intensified operations within villages, house-to-house searches, confiscation of illegal weapons, and the elimination of terrorist infrastructure, urging a shift from defense to offense.

The attack occurred amid heightened IDF readiness in Judea and Samaria, implemented before the Jewish High Holidays. Recent operations in the region have included searches of over 1,200 buildings, the discovery of an explosives lab, and the interrogation of approximately 930 suspects, with about 230 arrests. Over 100 weapons were confiscated. Increased military presence, including advanced Eitan armored personnel carriers, is visible in tense areas like Hawara near Nablus. The IDF is reinforcing its presence along roads and in potential conflict zones to ensure the safety of thousands of tourists expected to visit Judea and Samaria during the upcoming Sukkot and Simchat Torah holidays.