JERUSALEM — Two Palestinian terrorists opened fire at a guard post at the entrance to the city of Ariel Friday night, killing a 23-year-old security guard. A woman  present in the guardhouse, who was apparently engaged to the guard, was not injured.

After a 20-hour manhunt, counterterrorism forces arrested the terrorists behind the attack at the nearby town of Qarawat Bani Hassan. Both of the weapons used in the attack were also seized during the arrest, the Shin Bet security agency said.

The pair, who did not offer resistance, were taken for further questioning.

The arrest operation was conducted by the police special forces unit, Israel Defense Forces troops and Shin Bet officers.

Palestinian media named the two as Sameeh Assi and Yahya Marei, both in their 20s.

During the Friday night attack, the security guard, named as Vyacheslav Golev, used his body to shield his girlfriend and saved her life.

Golev was a former student at Ariel University. He is survived by his parents and seven siblings who live in Bet Shemesh, and his fiancée who was stationed at the guard post during the attack.

Surveillance camera footage showed a blue Suzuki vehicle driving up to a guard post, where a gunman in the passenger seat opened fire. The gunman and the driver then both got out and both fired into the guard post before driving off.

Terrorists ride up to guardpost and open fire

The security guard was shot and medics from the MDA ambulance service declared him dead at the scene.

The gunmen apparently used improvised Carlo submachine guns, according to an image published by police Saturday.

Security forces launched a massive manhunt for the gunmen Saturday. On Saturday evening the terrorists were found and apprehended, but earlier a burnt vehicle was found west of Ariel which may have been the car used by terrorists.

The attack was claimed by the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, a coalition of armed groups affiliated with the Palestinian Authority’s ruling Fatah party.

“We take responsibility for the heroic operation in Ariel that resulted in the death of a Zionist officer. All this activity is a response to the Israeli aggression in Jerusalem,” a masked man said in a video circulated on social media.

The terror group was also behind the deadly attack in Bnei Brak last month.

As Shabbat ended Saturday evening, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett issued his first response to attack, expressing expresses condolences to the family of the security guard and highlighting how he protected his girlfriend.

“There is no terrorist we won’t reach and settle the score with,” the premier said. “Our war against terror is long.”

Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid also praised Israeli security forces for the arrests.

“The State of Israel always defeats terror and will do whatever is needed… to defeat it now as well,” Gantz said.