The terrorist Abd al-Karim Sanubar, who was responsible for the Bat Yam and Holon bus bombings on February 20, was arrested in a joint operation by the IDF, Shin Bet, and Border Police early on Wednesday.
The terrorist was reportedly found dressed as a woman in Nablus, according to Israeli media.
Israel’s security forces have been following Sanubar for months, and he was apprehended after being injured in an explosion in a building on Tuesday, which the IDF stated he may have caused.
The explosion led Israeli forces to his location, and teams began an overnight manhunt that lasted approximately 19 hours.
During the search, forces located and destroyed multiple ready-to-use explosives that the terrorist had in the building he bombed, as well as in the surrounding area.
“The arrest represents a significant operational and intelligence achievement, following ongoing intelligence efforts of the IDF and Shin Bet, including a series of operations in the field, and ultimately led to the apprehension of the terrorist,” the military said in a joint statement with the security agency.
Sanubar's driver was indicted in March
In March, an indictment was filed against R., a 47-year-old resident of Holon, for allegedly transporting Sanubar to the buses.
During questioning, R. admitted to transporting the terrorist but claimed he was unaware of his identity. Following the indictment, a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to prove R. knowingly assisted a terrorist. As a result, he was released under house arrest.
An initial assessment of the bombings in February from the security establishment was that the plan for the attack came from Iran, and was carried out by Hamas terrorists from the West Bank.
It is unclear if Sanubar is affiliated with Hamas.