Mideast suicide attack injures two

The explosion happened near a security force vehicle

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Two members of the Israeli security service were lightly wounded Wednesday in an attack by a suicide bomber in the central town of Taibeh, near the West Bank, the Israeli prime minister's office said.

Two Palestinian groups jointly claimed responsibility for the attack.

According to the prime minister's office, Shin Bet -- the Israeli general security service -- was involved in an operation when a suicide bomber blew himself up near a security force vehicle. The incident is under investigation.

The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, and Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was a joint operation by both groups.

The suicide bomber was identified as Morad Abu Assal from the West Bank village of Anabta, near Nablus.

The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades has launched a series of attacks on Israelis since Fatah leader Raed al-Karmi was killed January 14. Israel has responded by carrying out raids in Palestinian territories against suspected terrorists.

Karmi was on Israel's most-wanted list for taking responsibility for the deaths last year of two Tel Aviv restaurant owners. Israeli authorities also accused him of being involved in the deaths of eight other Israelis.

Islamic Jihad was one of four groups mentioned by U.S. President Bush in his State of the Union address Tuesday night as being part of a "terrorist underworld."

In related developments, Israeli forces overnight arrested six Palestinians suspected of terrorist activities, an Israel Defense Forces statement said.

The arrests took place in the villages of Abu Dis, near Jerusalem; Zaatra, near Bethlehem, and Awarta, near Nablus.

The six were transferred to Israeli security forces for questioning.