Overview
- Two gunmen opened fire at a checkpoint near Hebron on Friday, killing two Israeli soldiers and wounding others before security forces shot the attackers dead.
- Israel's army and the Shin Bet announced a coordinated 'anti‑terror' operation that started in the Hebron area and will involve house‑to‑house searches, weapons seizures and restricted exits for several days.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered Hebron sealed and said he and the defense minister are preparing a 'very wide‑ranging' West Bank military operation that could include evacuations and large arrest sweeps.
- Hardline ministers publicly urged dismantling the Palestinian Authority and harsher measures while human rights groups warned the planned tactics risk collective punishment, displacement and possible legal violations.
- The operation comes days before Israel's parliamentary vote and follows large 2025 West Bank raids, raising the prospect of wider West Bank escalation, civilian displacement and increased international concern.