A Palestinian man attempted to carry out a stabbing attack on Monday evening against Israeli troops near the northern West Bank city of Nablus, the Israel Defense Forces said.

The soldiers subsequently shot and killed the assailant at a junction outside Nablus, near a military base, the army said.

There were no Israeli casualties in the incident. The IDF said it was investigating the attempted attack and sending forces to the scene.

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Official Palestinian Authority news agency Wafa identified the Palestinian as 36-year-old Mohammad Adawi.

The IDF said that according to an initial investigation of the incident, the Palestinian suspect was driving a car from the direction of Nablus. After a brief security check, soldiers told him to turn around. He then exited the vehicle with a large knife and charged at a soldier standing guard and tried to stab him. Another soldier then shot the assailant, according to the army.

Another attempted attack occurred at the same junction last month, when a Palestinian — as 35-year-old Raed Dhiab from Kafr Qallil — attempted to run over a group of Israeli soldiers and civilians waiting at a bus stop. Soldiers at the scene shot at the assailant, who was taken to hospital in moderate condition. No Israelis were physically hurt in that incident, although the Samaria Regional Council spokesperson said three people — two women and a man — suffered panic attacks and underwent treatment.

“It is the second attempted terror attack in the same place within a month, and again civilians and soldiers are saved by no less than a miracle,” Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, said in a statement.

While lauding the soldiers who shot the Palestinian would-be stabber for “preventing a tragedy,” Dagan argued that Israel’s deterrence was at a low point.

“The person directly responsible for that is Defense Minister and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is busy issuing explanations rather than taking action,” he said, calling for roadblocks for Palestinians to be reinstated, for additional security funds to be approved and for retaliatory measures against “terror strongholds.”

There has been an uptick in West Bank terror attacks since last month, leading to the death of two IDF soldiers and a baby born prematurely after his mother was seriously wounded. At least 10 other civilians and soldiers have been injured in the string of attacks.

On December 9, terrorists opened fire at a bus stop outside the Ofra settlement, injuring seven Israelis. Among the wounded was a pregnant woman whose baby died after being delivered prematurely.

Four days later, a Palestinian gunman opened fire at a bus stop outside the nearby Givat Assaf outpost, killing Staff Sgt. Yovel Mor Yosef, 20, and Sgt. Yosef Cohen, 19.

The following day, a Palestinian man broke into a military position near the central West Bank settlement of Beit El, stabbed a soldier stationed there on guard duty and struck him in the head with a rock, seriously wounding him. The suspect was charged with attempted murder on Monday.