This is the Terrorist Behind Today's Car-Ramming Attack That Injured 8 IDF Soldiers
Israeli security forces are pursuing Arkan Khaled, a 27-year-old Tayibe resident, for a car-ramming attack near Kfar Yona that injured eight soldiers, escalating regional tensions. The incident, marked by chaos and inadequate infrastructure, has spurred a massive manhunt and public safety concerns.
Israeli authorities launched a large-scale manhunt for Arkan Khaled, a 27-year-old resident of Tayibe, suspected of carrying out a deliberate car-ramming attack at a bus stop near Kfar Yona, injuring eight IDF soldiers. The incident, classified as a terrorist attack by police and Shin Bet, occurred at 9:25 a.m. on Route 57 at the Beit Lid junction, east of Netanya. Surveillance footage captured Khaled driving a white Toyota with Israeli plates, swerving off the road, briefly stopping, and then accelerating into a group of soldiers at the bus stop. He fled on foot after abandoning the vehicle near Beit Lid, prompting roadblocks and searches across Kfar Yona, surrounding fields, and construction sites, supported by helicopters, drones, canine units, and elite forces.
According to Magen David Adom, two soldiers, a 20-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman, suffered moderate chest and limb injuries, while six others sustained light wounds, including bruises and cuts from shattered glass. All were evacuated to Laniado Hospital in Netanya and Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera. Eyewitness Kinneret Hanuka, a Kfar Yona resident, described the chaos: “I was driving behind the terrorist; he cut me off. It was frightening. He spotted the pedestrians, swerved in a split second and floored it like his life depended on it.” She noted victims were thrown 15 meters, with blood and screams filling the scene. Kfar Yona Mayor Albert Taieb criticized the lack of protective bollards, stating, “We’ve long asked Netivei Israel to place bollards at this bus stop to prevent incidents like what happened here. Netivei Israel said it wasn’t safe and refused.”
Police urged the public to report sightings of Khaled to the 100 emergency hotline. Social media posts on X reflected fear, with one user stating, “Khaled’s still out there, lock your doors, Kfar Yona!” The attack, the 13th car-ramming incident in 2025, follows heightened Judea and Samaria tensions, with 1,040 terror plots foiled this year. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad praised the attack claiming it as a response to IDF operations against Hamas terrorism in Gaza,