Attacker shot dead as he rams a car into a checkpoint, West Bank

On Wednesday afternoon, September 23, 2026, a car-ramming terror attack occurred at the Maccabim (also known as Bell) checkpoint on Route 443 in the Binyamin Brigade sector of the West Bank, near Beit Horon and Modi’in.

According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Police, a terrorist accelerated his vehicle toward a police patrol vehicle from the Judea and Samaria District that was operating at the checkpoint as part of a joint security effort. The attacker struck and ran over a member of the security forces—reports vary slightly on whether the victim was an IDF soldier or a police officer in his 30s or around 40—who was working alongside an officer.

Magen David Adom (MDA) received a report at approximately 4:54 p.m. of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling west from Beit Horon on Route 443. MDA medics and paramedics, working with an IDF medical team and United Hatzalah responders, provided emergency treatment at the scene, including respiratory support, life-saving medication, bandaging, and immobilization. The victim, who was found unconscious and in serious to critical condition with a head injury, was evacuated to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem in serious and unstable condition.

IDF forces operating at the scene immediately responded and eliminated the terrorist. In an official statement posted on X by the IDF’s Hebrew account (@idfonline), the military confirmed: “IDF forces eliminated the terrorist who carried out the attack at the checkpoint. Following the report of the ramming attack at the checkpoint in the Binyamin Brigade, forces operating at the point eliminated the terrorist.”

Israeli security officials identified the attacker as Mahmoud Mohammad Sliman (or similar transliterations), 29, from the nearby village of Beit Ur al-Tahta. Forces later raided his home.

Additional IDF troops were rapidly deployed to the area, imposed roadblocks, and conducted operations in the vicinity. Route 443 is a major highway connecting Jerusalem and the Modi’in area and has seen previous attacks.

The incident follows a recent deadly shooting attack in the Binyamin region several days earlier, in which a father of six was killed near a spring by Neve Tzuf (Halamish). Security forces continue efforts to counter terrorism in Judea and Samaria.