Two Israeli soldiers wounded in stabbing attack near military base

Two Israeli soldiers were wounded in a stabbing attack outside Tzrifin military base near the city of Rishon LeZion in central Israel, according to Israeli media. 

Both the injured soldiers were in their 20s and one is in serious condition.

"One of the wounded was lying on the sidewalk and the other wounded was sitting next to him. They were conscious and suffered from stab wounds," said Moshe Galbstein, one of the paramedics who arrived at the scene as quoted by Israel's i24 News.

Police have arrested the suspected attacker, who is a Palestinian youth. They told Israel's Kan public news broadcaster that the attacker was "neutralized" by civilians following the attack.

The alleged perpetrator has not been identified.  

Israeli security forces are combing the area for associates or other potential suspects, the police said in a statement. 

Unverified footage has been circulating on social media that appears to show a man held on the ground and handcuffed by the police. 

The attack comes amid ongoing deadly Israeli raids on West Bank towns. Also on Tuesday morning, Israeli forces stormed a refugee camp near Bethlehem, injuring three Palestinians. 

Over the weekend, Israeli forces killed a 26-year-old Palestinian doctor at the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in Jerusalem, while Palestinians were killed during a military raid in Nablus on Monday. 

Israel’s far-right government has intensified tensions since it came to power last November.  

The country’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has a history of incitement against Palestinians and has repeatedly called for the annexation of Isreael’s illegal settlements in the West Bank.

He recently received approval from the parliament for the creation of a new "National Guard" under his personal command. 

Israeli forces have killed 95 Palestinians in the West Bank since the beginning of the year, including 17 minors and two elderly, according to the Palestinian health ministry.