Two Israeli teenagers were injured, one severely, in a car-ramming terror attack at the al-Khader Junction in the West Bank, just south of Jerusalem, on Tuesday, according to Israeli authorities.
The assailant, a Palestinian from the nearby town of Beit Fajjar, crashed his vehicle into pedestrians waiting on the side of the Route 60 highway before getting out and attempting a stabbing, the police, military, and security officials said.
He was then shot dead by a senior reservist officer, who happened to be passing by the area.
Surveillance camera footage showed the moments of the attack, with the terrorist swerving his car into people waiting on the side of the road. The video also showed the armed reservist opening fire on the attacker.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service said it took two victims of the attack to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in the capital, a 15-year-old in moderate-to-serious condition and a 16-year-old in moderate condition.
Get The Times of Israel’s Daily Edition
by email and never miss our top stories
By signing up, you agree to the terms
Both sustained injuries to their heads and extremities, MDA said.
Surveillance camera footage shows a car-ramming attack at al-Khader Junction in the West Bank, September 30, 2025. (Courtesy)
The incident was initially reported as a shooting due to the gunfire at the attacker.
Col. (res.) Hezi Nehama, who was not on active reserve duty, passed by the scene as the attack was carried out.
He told Hebrew media that he heard a car crash into the side of the road, and stopped his own vehicle, thinking it was an accident. But people at the junction shouted that the assailant had a knife, Nehama said.
Police and rescue personnel at the scene of a car-ramming terror attack where two teens were injured, on a West Bank highway near Jerusalem. September 30, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
The colonel said the terrorist ran toward him, and he initially opened fire on his legs, shouting at him to stop.
“I kept shouting ‘stop!’ and he didn’t stop. So I fired at the center of his body, and he fell,” Nehama was quoted as saying by Ynet news.
Palestinian media identified the terrorist as Mahdi Muhammad Awad Dirieh, 32, from Beit Fajjar.
The Israel Defense Forces said it was blocking roads, encircling Palestinian towns in the area, and carrying out scans following the attack.
Police, IDF, and rescue personnel at the scene of a car-ramming terror attack where two teens were injured, on a West Bank highway near Jerusalem. September 30, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
The junction has been the scene of previous attacks. In December 2024, a young boy was fatally shot and several people were wounded in a terror attack targeting a Jerusalem-bound bus in the area.
On Sunday, an Israeli soldier was killed after being hit by gunfire during what the military said was a car-ramming attack in the northern West Bank.
Violence has risen in the West Bank since the Gaza war started on October 7, 2023, when thousands of Hamas-led terrorists stormed southern Israel to kill some 1,200 people and take 251 hostages.
Since then, 62 people, including Israeli security personnel, have been killed in terror attacks in Israel and the West Bank.
Another eight members of the security forces were killed in clashes with terror operatives in the West Bank, amid a major counterterrorism offensive that has been accompanied by sharp restrictions on Palestinian movement.
Nurit Yohanan contributed to this report.
Is The Times of Israel important to you?
If so, we have a request.
Every day, even during war, our journalists keep you abreast of the most important developments that merit your attention. Millions of people rely on ToI for fast, fair and free coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
We care about Israel – and we know you do too. So today, we have an ask: show your appreciation for our work by joining The Times of Israel Community, an exclusive group for readers like you who appreciate and financially support our work.
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You appreciate our journalism
You clearly find our careful reporting valuable, in a time when facts are often distorted and news coverage often lacks context.
Your support is essential to continue our work. We want to continue delivering the professional journalism you value, even as the demands on our newsroom have grown dramatically since October 7.
So today, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6 a month you’ll become our partners while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel