Scene of the stabbing
Scene of the stabbingHillel Meir/TPS

An extensive manhunt is currently underway to capture the Israeli Arab terrorist who stabbed an Israeli man to death this afternoon at the entrance to the city of Ariel in Samaria.

A man about 40 years old was critically injured in the attack. Medics treated the victim at the scene before evacuating him to Beilinson Medical Center in Petah Tikva. The victim's death was declared shortly thereafter.

The attack transpired when the terrorist approached a popular hitchhikers spot at the entrance to the city and stabbed the victim before fleeing the scene.

An IDF officer at the scene who identified the terrorist began chasing him in his car, even hitting him, but the terrorist still managed to get into a vehicle and escape.

Security forces have set up checkpoints along Route 5, the Trans-Samaria highway, on the route from Ariel to north Tel Aviv in an attempt to locate and arrest the terrorist.

The Ariel Junction is blocked to traffic from all directions. The Tapuah Junction and Rahelim Junction are blocked in the direction of Ariel.