Netanyahu Orders Hebron Cordon Ahead of Vote

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Friday that he has ordered a major military operation in the West Bank. The directive follows a shooting attack near Hebron that killed two Israeli soldiers. Netanyahu instructed troops to cordon off the city and prepare for an extensive campaign in the region.

The conflict has escalated in the days leading up to Israel's general election on Tuesday. Netanyahu has positioned national security as the central issue of his campaign for another term. He characterized the recent violence as an attempt by Israel's enemies to influence the vote. His Likud party confirmed that the prime minister convened senior security chiefs on Friday. All campaign events scheduled for the remainder of the day were canceled.

The immediate trigger for the operation was an attack by two Palestinian men at a junction near Hebron. The gunmen opened fire on passing forces and were killed at the scene. The Israeli military identified the dead soldiers as Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem. Three other soldiers sustained light injuries in the exchange.

Army officials stated that a large quantity of weapons and ammunition was recovered from the attackers' vehicle. They said the armament, which included an M16 rifle and a handgun, indicated a plan for a major attack on civilians. The military reported that it has begun offensive counterterrorism operations in the Hebron area. Soldiers are now operating inside the homes of the attackers and other suspects.

Netanyahu ordered the evacuation of the Hebron neighborhood where the gunmen lived. He directed a house-to-house search for weapons ahead of a demolition of the site. Hebron has more than 200,000 inhabitants. The prime minister stated that the first step would be to demolish the location and completely transform it. He added that the IDF would dismantle the terror infrastructure in the neighborhoods from which the terrorists emerged.

Hamas described the gunmen as heroes in a statement calling the attack a legitimate response to ongoing crimes. The group urged armed Palestinians in the West Bank to target Israeli soldiers and civilians. Hamas did not formally claim responsibility for the specific shooting. The Israeli military said it arrested around 70 wanted Palestinians in West Bank operations over the past week.

The surge in violence occurred after New York Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander was briefly detained by Israeli forces this week. Lander was assisting Palestinian farmers during the annual olive harvest. The military said the wider campaign would include evacuating residents and searching homes across the occupied territory.