A Duvdevan unit, working with the Shin Bet, killed Muhammad Zaid in the Yamon area of northern Samaria after a more than four-hour manhunt. Zaid was described by the IDF as a known arms dealer who had sold a weapon to the attacker who shot and seriously wounded two IDF soldiers at the Reihan Crossing on May 7, 2025.
The IDF and Shin Bet had previously declared Zaid wanted, and several earlier efforts had been made to arrest him. During the operation, he hid in multiple buildings and then in an open field shelter, while troops used surveillance tools and intelligence collection to track him down.
According to the military, Zaid emerged from the hiding place and jumped toward the forces, creating a threat to their safety. The troops then struck and killed him. Several suspects who were with him were arrested, along with Arabs suspected of helping the fugitive.
In a joint statement, the IDF said Duvdevan fighters and Shin Bet personnel carried out the operation in Yamon in the Menashe Brigade area. The army said Zaid lived in Yamon, operated as an arms trafficker, and passed weapons to the gunman who wounded the two soldiers. The IDF added that its forces continue to act throughout the West Bank against terrorism and against arms dealers who enable attacks on Israeli civilians.
