From the Liveblog of
Saturday, August 31, 2024
IDF, Shin Bet believe Friday night West Bank bomb attacks were coordinated
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The IDF and Shin Bet believe that the two Palestinian terrorists who attempted to carry out concurrent car bombing attacks in the Gush Etzion area of the West Bank last night were coordinated.
The two terrorists set out together from the Hebron area and headed toward the Etzion settlement bloc to carry out the attack at two locations, according to the initial probe.
One car bomb was set off at a gas station at the Gush Etzion junction, while the second terrorist breached the Karmei Tzur settlement and his car exploded there.
Both terrorists were killed. Their identities and affiliations are not immediately known.
At the gas station, a soldier was moderately wounded and a reservist officer who is the head of a local security team was lightly hurt as troops opened fire at the terrorist. The commander of the IDF’s Etzion Regional Brigade, Col. Gal Rich, was also lightly hurt but did not require hospitalization.
In Karmei Tzur, a local security officer chased after the terrorist in his own car. He rammed into the terrorist’s car, before getting out and opening fire, killing him. The car then exploded.
