(Contributed by security sources)

An armed Palestinian gunman arrived in a vehicle earlier today at the Anabta checkpoint, east of Tulkarem, and opened fire at the IDF force manning the crossing. The force responded with fire and killed the gunman.

The gunman was identified as Muhammad Omer Mahmud Diab, a wanted terrorist from the Islamic Jihad terror organization that operates in the region of Jenin and Tulkarem. This military infrastructure to which Diab was associated continues to operate nowadays in Jenin and Tulkarem, trying to execute additional attacks against IDF soldiers and the Israeli home front.

Soldiers uncovered on the man's person an AK-47 assault rifle and an army vest with matching ammunition clips that were hidden under his clothes. In a subsequent search of the gunman's vehicle soldiers uncovered three explosive devices with which apparently the gunman planned to execute a terror attack against Israeli civilians or against Israeli soldiers.

The ammunitions were detonated in a controlled environment by Israeli Police sappers.