Police: Gunman Opens Fire on Israeli Highway Before Being Shot

Members of Israeli security and emergency services deploy at the site of a shooting on the Yavne interchange, near the southern Israeli city of Ashdod on October 15, 2024. (Photo by Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP)
Members of Israeli security and emergency services deploy at the site of a shooting on the Yavne interchange, near the southern Israeli city of Ashdod on October 15, 2024. (Photo by Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP)
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Police: Gunman Opens Fire on Israeli Highway Before Being Shot

Members of Israeli security and emergency services deploy at the site of a shooting on the Yavne interchange, near the southern Israeli city of Ashdod on October 15, 2024. (Photo by Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP)
Members of Israeli security and emergency services deploy at the site of a shooting on the Yavne interchange, near the southern Israeli city of Ashdod on October 15, 2024. (Photo by Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP)

A gunman opened fire on cars on a highway near the Israeli city of Tel Aviv on Tuesday, killing a policeman and wounding four people before being shot dead by a passerby, Israeli police said.
Preliminary investigations showed the gunman approached the highway on foot, shot a policeman and then continued to fire before being shot dead by an armed civilian, Reuters reported.
"A short time ago a terrorist just came over to the main road here next to Tel Aviv, next to Yavne, and started shooting towards a police car, then went on and shot other ongoing cars and wounded our people," police spokesperson Mirit Ben Mayor told reporters.
"Luckily enough he was neutralized and killed by a citizen who was here on the way."
There were no immediate details on the identity or background of the gunman.



Trump Gives US House Speaker Johnson ‘Complete and Total Endorsement’

US President-elect Donald Trump gestures at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, US, December 22, 2024. (Reuters)
US President-elect Donald Trump gestures at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, US, December 22, 2024. (Reuters)
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Trump Gives US House Speaker Johnson ‘Complete and Total Endorsement’

US President-elect Donald Trump gestures at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, US, December 22, 2024. (Reuters)
US President-elect Donald Trump gestures at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, US, December 22, 2024. (Reuters)

US President-elect Donald Trump on Monday threw his support behind House Speaker Mike Johnson, who will stand for reelection to the top job this week with a slim Republican majority in the House of Representatives.

"Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hard working, religious man. He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

The House is scheduled to elect a speaker on Friday following the swearing-in of the new Congress. The endorsement from Trump was essential to Johnson's hopes of maintaining the leadership position he assumed in October 2023.

The job puts him in a close working relationship with Trump, who returns to the White House on Jan. 20.

Thirty-four Republicans voted against Johnson’s stopgap funding bill in December, raising questions on whether some of them would support Johnson's next bid for the speakership because they argued the legislation favored Democrats.

Republicans hold a 219-215 majority in the House, meaning the vote will be dependent on Republicans maintaining their unity.

Representative Victoria Spartz, a Republican, said on Fox News on Monday that she remained uncommitted, saying Johnson was afraid to bring up votes on fiscal legislation that could hamper Trump's agenda.

“I can give him a chance, but I would like to hear from him how he’s going to be delivering this agenda,” Spartz said. She spoke before Trump posted his endorsement on social media.