The Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet domestic security service issued a joint statement later on Friday announcing the launch of a counter-terrorism operation in the Hebron area that was an extension of security operations started earlier in the day.
“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 IDF and Shin Bet said in the statement.
“The operation is targeted and limited to the area from which the terrorists operated, and is expected to continue for several days.”
Residents living in the area will be able to exit through three designated checkpoints after questioning and may be referred for further questioning, according to the statement.
The military would also be “demolishing illegal structures that could pose a security threat at the site of the encounter,” according to the statement.
There has been a recent surge in Israeli settler violence and military activity in the West Bank centered on the start of the olive harvesting season, with Palestinians, activists and American journalists among those attacked and detained. Netanyahu has previously blamed “a handful of young juvenile delinquents” for instances of settler violence.
In his comments Friday, Netanyahu praised settlers in the West Bank as “heroic,” saying they were “an example to the people of Israel and to the State of Israel.”
Netanyahu’s office said it instructed the IDF to “impose a closure” on Hebron and to prepare for a “full lockdown” across the entire West Bank starting Friday. It gave no further details on the planned closure of the territory.
In comments following an emergency meeting with his security cabinet and top military and security officials, Netanyahu blamed Hamas for the shooting and said the militant group was “planning a major attack aimed at murdering innocent civilians.”
He cited “large quantities of weapons and ammunition discovered,” but did not provide further details on the attack. He did not say whether the injured included soldiers or civilians.
The order to lock down the West Bank came hours after the Israeli military said it had killed two people after a shooting attack in which at least five people were initially reported injured.