Two Israeli soldiers were killed and three others injured in an attack by two Palestinians in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank. Israeli forces killed both attackers after an exchange of fire lasting more than 20 minutes, according to Israeli media reports.
The soldiers were identified as 23-year-old Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roitman and 20-year-old Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilam. Israeli media identified the attackers as Muhammad Jaabaha and Firas Jaabaha, both 27-year-old residents of Hebron. Authorities have not released further details about the injured soldiers’ conditions.
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According to the Israeli military’s preliminary investigation, the attackers had planned a major assault against Israeli civilians along Route 35. They reportedly changed their plan after realising they could not reach the highway. The two men then opened fire at a temporary checkpoint.
Following the incident, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Hebron alongside Defence Minister Israel Katz. Netanyahu said Israel would demolish the neighbourhood where the attackers lived. He also announced plans for searches and the removal of weapons and what he described as terrorist infrastructure.
In a video released by his office, Netanyahu said authorities would apply a model previously used in refugee camps. He said Israeli forces would evacuate residents and conduct house-to-house searches. He also vowed to destroy infrastructure that Israel considers linked to terrorism.
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Netanyahu further said Israel would demolish unauthorised homes built alongside roads in the West Bank. He cited potential threats to Israeli forces as the reason for the proposed demolitions. The announcement did not provide details about the locations or timing of the planned actions.
The Israeli prime minister also said the military had prepared its largest operation in the West Bank since 1967. He stated that Israeli forces were fully prepared to carry it out. The report did not provide an operational timeline or further details about the proposed military campaign.