Israeli Forces Launch Manhunt After Shooting Attacks Near West Bank Kill One

A series of coordinated shooting attacks near Israel's boundary with the occupied West Bank left one person dead and six others wounded on Sunday, triggering a major security operation, lockdowns in several communities and a large-scale manhunt by Israeli forces.

According to Israel's emergency service, Magen David Adom (MDA), the attacks began at around 10:30 a.m. when gunfire erupted at a gas station near Kokhav Yair , a town on the Israeli side of the boundary with the West Bank. Additional shootings were reported minutes later near Tzur Natan , Tzur Yitzhak , Route 5533 and close to the settlement of Sal'it , raising fears that multiple assailants were operating simultaneously.

MDA said a man in his 30s died from gunshot wounds at the scene. Six other victims were injured, including two in serious condition and several others with moderate wounds. The injured were taken to Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba and Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva for treatment.

Israeli police and military units launched extensive searches by air and ground following the attacks. Initial reports suggested more than one gunman may have been involved because of the number of locations targeted. Israeli authorities later said security forces had killed one attacker and detained another suspect, both reported to be Israeli citizens. Investigators continued examining whether additional accomplices were involved.

Police identified the slain attacker as a Palestinian citizen of Israel from the Arab town of Taybeh , located near the attack sites. The revelation surprised local officials, who had largely anticipated threats originating from across the West Bank boundary rather than from within Israel itself.

Residents in affected communities were instructed to remain indoors, while children at local schools were temporarily placed under lockdown as security forces swept the area. Reinforcements were deployed amid concerns that the shootings could be part of a broader coordinated attack.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a security assessment following the attacks. His office said he was closely monitoring the situation and the ongoing response to what it described as a deadly attack along the seam line separating Israel from the West Bank.

The violence comes amid heightened tensions in the region. Just two days earlier, a seven-month-old Palestinian baby was killed and the child's parents wounded when Israeli troops opened fire on a vehicle in the West Bank, according to Palestinian health authorities.