An Arab terrorist opened fire on an IDF guard post next to the Samaria community of Ateret, which lies roughly midway between Jerusalem and Shechem (Nablus). Soldiers returned fire, taking down the terrorist.

As a result of the attack, a section of Highway 465 near Ateret was closed to vehicles in both directions.

An army statement announced that “a Palestinian terrorist opened fire at an IDF (army) post near Ofra. The soldiers responded immediately in order to eliminate the imminent threat to their lives and fired towards the terrorist, identifying a hit.”

AFP reports that Arab sources have identified the terrorist as 19-year-old Mohammad Mubarak from nearby Jalazun.

Last week terrorists opened fire close to the Jewish town of Neria, located near Ateret. The security coordinator of the community reported to the IDF that gunshots were heard, and during a search of the area a shotgun was found.

Only days before, a terrorist was arrested for firing at the kibbutz (communal village) of Migdal Oz just outside of Efrat, in Judea, with an improvised weapon. None were injured.

The various shootings and terror attacks come after police foiled an islamist terror cell’s plot to carry out large-scale attacks on Jerusalem’s Binyanei Hauma and the US Embassy in Tel Aviv.