West Bank sweep follows Hebron shooting

Two Israeli soldiers died in a shooting near Hebron on Friday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a major military operation in the West Bank in response. He also ordered troops to cordon off the city. The Israeli military confirmed that two Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a junction. Forces killed the attackers at the scene.

The army identified the dead soldiers as Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem. Three other service members sustained light injuries. Military officials said they found a large amount of weapons and ammunition in the attackers' vehicle. They stated this indicated a plan to target civilians. The shooters used an M16 rifle and a handgun.

Netanyahu ordered residents evacuated from the neighborhood where the gunmen lived. He said the first step would be to demolish the site and transform it. Hebron has more than 200,000 inhabitants. The prime minister said the Israel Defense Forces would enter the neighborhoods where the terrorists emerged. He added that troops would search house to house and dismantle the terror infrastructure. He stated that the military was prepared for an extensive operation in Judea and Samaria.

Netanyahu labeled the gunmen as Hamas terrorists. Hamas called the attack heroic. The group described it as a legitimate response to ongoing crimes against its people, land, and holy sites. Hamas did not claim responsibility for the specific incident. It urged armed Palestinians in the West Bank to attack Israeli soldiers and civilians.

The military began offensive counterterrorism operations in the Hebron area. Soldiers operated inside the homes of the attackers and other suspects. The army reported arresting around 70 wanted Palestinians during West Bank operations over the past week.

Israel holds elections on Tuesday. Netanyahu made national security a central theme of his campaign. He characterized the shooting as an attempt to influence the vote. He recalled a warning issued weeks earlier that enemies were preparing attacks to sway the election. His Likud party said senior security chiefs met on Friday. All campaign events for the day were canceled. The attack occurred after a recent surge in West Bank violence. It followed the brief detention of New York Democratic candidate Brad Lander by Israeli forces while he helped Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest.