Palestinian man breaks into major IDF base and injures soldier during rampage

Jenin man arrested after stealing car near Tel Aviv, ramming through gate at Israeli army base, and injuring an IDF soldier.

By World Israel News Staff

A serious security breach occurred on Tuesday morning at the Tzrifin military base near Tel Aviv, one of the IDF’s largest installations, leaving an Israeli soldier injured.

During the incident, a Palestinian Authority resident who had infiltrated into Israel from Jenin stole a vehicle in the Tel Aviv area and drove down Highway 44, towards the Tzrifin base.

The suspect rammed through a checkpoint at the base and injured a soldier before being apprehended in Ramla following a police chase.

After breaching the base’s outer perimeter, the suspect moved through the compound for several minutes before fleeing the area.

After escaping the base, the suspect was located and apprehended by police officers in the nearby town of Ramle.

An IDF spokesperson said Tuesday that there are no indications the incident had a terrorist motive.

According to the IDF, one soldier “was injured by a vehicle at the checkpoint at the Tzrifin base gate.”

Army investigators have launched a probe into the matter.

The injured soldier, a man in his 20s, was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. His condition was not immediately disclosed, but his family has been notified.

This incident comes less than a month after a similar event on February 17, when a Palestinian Arab car thief who infiltrated into Israel from the Judea and Samaria region attempted to steal a vehicle from a parking lot at the Tzrifin base.

During the February 17th incident, the suspect tried to seize a police officer’s gun before fleeing, but was captured after a foot chase by Central District officers.

The IDF continues to investigate how the suspect managed to breach security protocols and is reviewing procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future.