A major Israeli highway turned into a bloody crime scene Wednesday afternoon, when two men riding a motorcycle opened fire on a luxury Jeep traveling on Route 443, near the Mevo Modi’im junction, north of Modi’in.
Police believe the shooting stemmed from a feud between Arab clans from the city of Lod. More than 10 bullets were fired at the Jeep from close range as the motorcycle pulled alongside it, striking all three passengers inside.
Hitmen on a motorbike open fire at luxury Jeep on Route 443
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One man was killed and two others were seriously wounded. A fourth person, reportedly uninvolved and driving a separate vehicle, was also killed—believed to have been struck by a stray bullet. Magen David Adom paramedics pronounced both fatalities at the scene. The wounded were evacuated to Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer and Shamir Medical Center in Be’er Yaakov.
MDA paramedic Saar Shay, along with emergency medics Yosef Assoulin and Amit Kapach, said: “We arrived with large teams and found two men lying on the road unconscious, with no pulse or respiration, suffering from gunshot wounds. We had to pronounce them dead at the scene.” The other two victims were treated on site and transported to hospitals in serious condition.
The scene on Route 433
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Initial suspicions of a terror attack prompted a rapid response from security forces, who chased the fleeing suspects. One was shot and killed by police a few hundred feet from the scene. The second was arrested minutes later.
Israel Police Commissioner Daniel Levy arrived at the scene alongside Central District Commander Yair Hezroni and Head of Investigations Boaz Balat to assess the situation firsthand. The Rubicon Jeep, riddled with bullet holes in the front windshield, remained at the scene for hours as forensic teams collected evidence.
Following a preliminary investigation, the case was handed over to the Central District’s Serious Crime Unit. A gag order was issued on additional details of the investigation. Police say the wounded men in the Jeep are also expected to be questioned.
Route 443 was closed in both directions for several hours: eastbound from the Mitzpe Modi’im junction and westbound from the entrance to Modi’in’s industrial zone. The closure led to significant traffic jams, with some drivers abandoning their cars or attempting to reach side roads.
“It felt like Texas,” said one stranded driver. “I’ve been stuck here for over two and a half hours. They said there was a murder.”