Two Israeli soldiers have been stabbed by a Palestinian youth at a junction in the West Bank.

One of the victims, a 20-year-old, suffered a serious wound to his upper body and is in critical condition after being flown by helicopter to Shaarei Tzedek hospital in Jerusalem.

The other, who was lightly injured in the back, shot the assailant dead after the attack at 10am local time on Wednesday, the IDF has confirmed.

The incident happened in the northern West Bank, near the Israeli settlement of Shilo on route 60. The 150-mile road links Nazareth in the north with Beersheva in the south.

The assault followed a wave of attacks late last year in the West Bank.