A 20-year-old man was seriously injured Monday morning in a combination terror attack in the Bat Galim neighborhood of Haifa.
The terrorist first carried out a ramming attack, injuring the man and hitting the fence of the Naval Base. Afterward, he exited the vehicle armed with an axe and was neutralized by a naval officer at the scene.
The terrorist has been identified as Wassim Abu al-Hija, a 27-year-old Israeli Arab from the town of Tamra in the Galilee. A heavy force of police arrived at the area of the suspect's home during the afternoon.
Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedics evacuated the suspect to the hospital in serious condition and suffering injuries to his lower extremities.
MDA paramedic Hanan Zohar said, "When we arrived at the scene we saw the injured man lying near a wall, fully conscious and suffering serious wounds to his lower extremities. We provided him with medical care, including bandaging and the provision of medications for pain relief, and we evacuated him in a mobile ICU to the hospital, in serious condition."
Israel Police said, "Israel Police has opened an investigation into the incident of a soldier being wounded and the neutralization of a threat in the city of Haifa. Police forces were called to the scene of the incident, began searches, and opened an investigation into the incident. The circumstances of the incident are being examined - details to follow."
The IDF responded, "A short while ago, a terrorist carried out a ramming attack adjacent to an IDF base in northern Israel."
"Following this, the terrorist exited his vehicle and tried to attack the IDF soldiers with an axe. The soldiers responded with live fire, and an IDF officer neutralized the terrorist."