(IsraelNN.com) The terrorists were apprehended about three hours after the entire northern command was put on top alert, following warnings that two Arab terrorists had infiltrated into the Afula area from Jenin which is ruled by the Palestinian Authority.

Northern Commander Dan Ronen, along with special forces units, tracked the suspects to the Beit She'an industrial zone. Announcing the arrest, Ronen said, “We’ve been lucky. It appears we have succeeded in thwarting a terrorist attack.”

Although the suspects carried no weapons or explosives, police are convinced they nabbed the two terrorists who had set out from Jenin to strike an Israeli target. The suspects carried identity cards issued by the Palestinian Authority, and were apparently planning to receive explosives somewhere inside Israel.

Ronen said the terrorists were surprised by their arrest. When police entered the building, the suspects attempted to appear as factory workers. But police were able to quickly distinguish them from the other employees.

Large numbers of police and special forces, including two helicopters, were involved in the chase after the two men. Road blocks were set up throughout the region, and the cities of Afula and Beit She'an were sealed off.

Police checked every vehicle in the area, causing massive traffic jams on the Afula–Beit She'an highway (Route 71) and the Afula–Nahal Iron (Wadi Ara) highway (Route 65).

The alert level in the Afula–Beit She'an region returned to normal following the terrorists’ capture, though the police are maintaining beefed up security in the area.

This afternoon, an Arab was caught at the Hawara roadblock in Samaria, south or Shechem, carrying two kilograms (4.4 lbs) of explosives on his way to attack Israelis. Police sappers safely exploded the material.