Israel has launched a counter-terrorism operation in the Hebron area of the occupied West Bank following an attack that killed two soldiers, the Israeli military and domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet said.
“The forces have begun conducting precise, targeted and thorough searches throughout the area to locate and dismantle terrorist infrastructure and weapons, while questioning suspects,” the military and Shin Bet said in a joint statement posted on Telegram late on Friday.
The operation, involving the military, intelligence services, border police and civil administration, was limited to the area from which the attackers operated and was expected to last several days, they said.
Two Israeli soldiers were killed and three others wounded in a shooting near Hebron earlier on Friday, according to the military. The two suspected Palestinian attackers from Hebron were killed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said security forces had prevented a serious attack. He also announced plans to seal off the Palestinian territory, meaning all crossings into the West Bank would be closed.
Israel is due to hold a parliamentary election on Tuesday, with the conflict with the Palestinians a key campaign issue. Right-wing politicians have sought to appeal to voters by pledging a tough response to Palestinian violence, while largely avoiding the issue of increasing attacks by radical Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank.
The military said additional measures would be taken to improve security in the area, including the demolition of illegal structures that could pose a security threat at the site of the attack. Security forces were also conducting counter-terrorism operations in dozens of locations across the West Bank, it said.
Residents of the affected area would be allowed to leave through three designated exits after questioning, the statement said. The measures also included the closure of Hebron and Halhul and the establishment of roadblocks.
Israel conquered the West Bank, along with East Jerusalem, during the Six-Day War in 1967 and has occupied it ever since. Today, around 700,000 Israeli settlers live there among 3 million Palestinians.
The situation in the occupied West Bank has deteriorated further since the Hamas massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023, and the ensuing Gaza war.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since then during Israeli military operations, armed clashes and attacks.