Israel Seals Hebron After Soldier Killings

Two Israeli soldiers died in a shooting near Hebron on Friday, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to order a full military cordon around the city and a major operation in the West Bank. The gunmen opened fire at a junction before being killed by forces at the scene. The army identified the dead as Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem. Three other soldiers sustained light injuries.

Military officials stated that the attackers used an M16 rifle and a handgun. A large quantity of weapons and ammunition was recovered from their vehicle. The army said these findings indicated the shooters had planned a major attack on civilians. The incident marks a sharp rise in violence in the region.

Netanyahu ordered the evacuation of residents from the neighborhood where the gunmen lived. Soldiers are currently conducting house-to-house searches for weapons. The city of Hebron has a population of more than 200,000. The prime minister said the first step would be to demolish the site and transform it. He described a wider campaign as the next phase.

"The IDF will enter the neighborhoods from which the terrorists emerged, evacuate the residents, go house-to-house, and dismantle the terror infrastructure," Netanyahu said. He added that Israel is prepared for an extensive operation in Judea and Samaria, the Israeli name for the West Bank. The military confirmed it began offensive counterterrorism operations in the area. Soldiers are now operating inside the homes of the attackers and other suspects.

The military reported arresting around 70 wanted Palestinians in West Bank operations over the past week. Hamas called the attack heroic and a legitimate response to ongoing crimes against its people and holy sites. The group did not claim responsibility but urged armed Palestinians in the West Bank to target Israeli soldiers and civilians.

The escalation comes days before Israeli elections scheduled for Tuesday. Netanyahu has made national security a central theme of his campaign for another term. He characterized the shooting as an attempt to influence the vote, recalling a warning issued weeks earlier that enemies were preparing attacks to sway the election. His Likud party said he convened senior security chiefs on Friday and canceled all campaign events for the remainder of the day.

The attack followed a recent surge in violence in the West Bank. It also occurred after Brad Lander, a New York Democratic candidate for Congress, was briefly detained by Israeli forces this week. Lander was assisting Palestinian farmers during the annual olive harvest when the detention took place.