Israeli media have raised serious questions about the military’s security failures after a Palestinian gunman infiltrated Tuesday a military checkpoint near the village of Tayasir, southeast of Jenin in the northern West Bank, killing two Israeli soldiers and injuring others before being shot dead.

According to Israeli reports, the Palestinian man reached the military post, took position inside a guard tower, and opened fire on Israeli forces using an M-16 rifle. The incident has sparked concerns over how he managed to approach undetected and engage in combat at close range.

Israeli Channel 24 described the operation as deeply troubling, saying, “There are difficult and pressing questions from the initial investigation about how the armed attacker, carrying an M-16 and extra magazines, was able to reach such close proximity to the site without being noticed and take the army by surprise.”

The report further questioned, “How did he enter without being detected, approach the checkpoint, and manage to engage in a gunfight?”

'Concerning incident'

Military correspondent Doron Kadosh noted that the Palestinian fighter successfully infiltrated the military post in the northern Jordan Valley, climbed to an upper floor, and reached the guard tower before opening fire.

“This incident is concerning and will require more difficult questions to be addressed,” Kadosh said.

Israeli media also pointed to the lack of clarity regarding the attacker’s identity, how he arrived at the site, and whether he acted alone or was directed by others. “These are questions the Israeli army must answer,” reports said, adding that the investigation is still ongoing.

Two Israeli soldiers were killed and six others were wounded on Tuesday morning in a shooting operation near the village of Tayasir, east of Tubas, in the northern occupied West Bank.

Israeli military radio had confirmed that eight soldiers were injured in total, with two sustaining fatal wounds. The wounded were airlifted to hospital by a military helicopter.

Escalation in the occupied West Bank

Israeli media reported that the shooting took place near a village where the Israeli army is operating as part of its aggression on the northern West Bank.

Israeli media added that the Tayasir area witnessed an armed confrontation between a Palestinian man and Israeli soldiers, which led to fatalities and injuries among the Israeli forces.

Later, it was confirmed that the Palestinian who carried out the operation was martyred.

In detail, the shooter had reached the military checkpoint near Tayasir, barricaded himself inside a watchtower, opened fire on the soldiers, and engaged in confrontations with them, according to Israeli media.

Following the operation, the Israeli military completely closed the Tayasir checkpoint, southeast of Jenin, and is conducting searches in its vicinity while recalling reinforcements to the area.