Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a significant military operation on Friday, ordering troops to seal off the West Bank city of Hebron. The directive follows a shooting incident at a junction near the city where two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers and injured three others. Ukraine’s military evacuates wounded soldier with aerial drone. Blaze that killed 4 on Canadian military base sparked on grenade launcher range.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the two deceased soldiers were Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem.
Soldiers neutralized the attackers at the scene, where a search of their vehicle revealed a substantial cache of weapons and ammunition, including an M16 rifle and a handgun. Officials stated these items suggested the suspects intended to execute a large-scale attack against civilians.
Addressing the security situation, Netanyahu declared, “Our first step will be to demolish this site and completely transform it,” referring to the residential area in Hebron where the gunmen lived. The Prime Minister ordered the evacuation of residents from that specific neighborhood to facilitate a comprehensive, house-to-house sweep for hidden weapons.
Netanyahu stated that the military is prepared for an extensive operation throughout Judea and Samaria. “The IDF will enter the neighborhoods from which the terrorists emerged, evacuate the residents, go house-to-house, and dismantle the terror infrastructure,” he said. He emphasized that the military presence in the city of more than 200,000 residents will be significantly bolstered.
Hamas, while not formally claiming responsibility for the shooting, described the act as heroic and a legitimate response to ongoing pressures against Palestinian people and holy sites. The group has actively encouraged Palestinians in the West Bank to utilize firearms against Israeli troops and civilians. Hamas, long designated a terrorist group by Israel and the U.S., called for any Palestinians in the West Bank with guns to use them to attack Israeli soldiers and civilians living in the occupied territory. Wounds several in possible terrorist act, wanted “to cause a bloodbath,” officials say, gunman in Paris suburb kills 1.
In response to the violence, the IDF has launched offensive counterterrorism missions in the Hebron area, focusing on the residences of the shooters and other suspected individuals. These efforts are part of a broader crackdown that has seen approximately 70 wanted Palestinians arrested across the West Bank within the last week. According to the IDF, It had arrested around 70 wanted Palestinians during operations in the West Bank over the past week.
The Prime Minister’s office confirmed that Netanyahu convened with top security officials to coordinate the response. Consequently, his Likud party canceled all remaining campaign events for the day. Netanyahu suggested that the attack was a deliberate attempt to influence the outcome of the upcoming national elections on Tuesday, noting that he had previously warned of threats aimed at disrupting the vote. According to netanyahu, The Palestinian shooting attack was an attempt to influence Israel elections, and referenced a warning he made a few weeks ago about Israel’s enemies preparing attacks to affect the vote.
This escalation occurs amidst a period of rising tensions in the region, characterized by an increase in settler-related incidents and ongoing friction in the West Bank. Earlier this week, New York Democratic Congressional candidate Brad Lander was detained by Israeli forces while participating in the annual olive harvest alongside Palestinian farmers.
