Netanyahu Orders Hebron Wipeout Before Vote

Two Israeli soldiers died and three others were wounded when two Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a checkpoint outside Hebron. The attackers were killed in the ensuing exchange, and the Israeli military has since begun demolishing buildings in the neighborhood where the men are believed to have originated. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the order from the scene, stating that forces would demolish the area and completely transform it.

The destruction follows a pattern of military response to attacks in the occupied West Bank. Netanyahu said Israel is prepared for extensive action in the territory, citing previous operations in refugee camps where residential structures were removed and thousands of people were displaced. He confirmed that cordons have been imposed around Hebron, a city of approximately 200,000 residents, and the nearby town of Halhul. The prime minister also noted that he has reviewed plans for the largest military operation in the West Bank in decades, though he did not specify a timeline for its launch.

The checkpoint ambush has injected urgency into the final days of the election campaign. Israel holds a vote in four days, and Netanyahu’s Likud party has cancelled campaign events scheduled for Friday morning. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for a West Bank campaign similar to those conducted in Gaza or Lebanon, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir urged the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority. Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused opposition leaders of undermining the government by criticizing earlier warnings of an impending attack, calling them responsible for any future incidents.

Military officials reported finding a large quantity of ammunition in the vehicle used by the attackers. The assessment is that the gunmen intended to strike Route 35, a major artery near Hebron, but encountered the checkpoint and chose to engage the soldiers there instead. Footage verified by the BBC shows the two men exiting a car armed with a handgun and an assault rifle before coming under return fire. This incident adds to a period of high tension in the West Bank, where extremist Jewish settlers have targeted Palestinians during the olive harvest. The United Nations reports that at least 96 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers since the start of the year, a figure that excludes the four Israelis killed by Palestinians in the same period.