Israeli troops have started demolishing Palestinian houses in Hebron following an attack that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others at a checkpoint outside the city. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the neighbourhood where the attackers originated would be destroyed and that Israel was prepared for "extensive action" in the occupied West Bank.
Footage shows the gunmen, armed with a handgun and an assault rifle, emerging from a car and firing on soldiers before being shot dead by Israeli forces. The military said it found a large cache of ammunition in the attackers’ vehicle and believes the gunmen intended a larger assault on Route 35 but were diverted by the checkpoint.
Netanyahu, whose Likud campaign has hinged on security promises, announced that campaign events scheduled for Friday morning would be cancelled. He also said he had reviewed plans for the largest West Bank military operation in decades, though no date was set. The Prime Minister imposed cordons around Hebron, home to about 200,000 residents, and the nearby town of Halhul.
Far‑right ministers urged a campaign in the West Bank "exactly like in Gaza or Lebanon" and called for the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority. Foreign Minister Israel Katz warned opposition leaders that their criticism could make them responsible for future attacks.
Opposition figures, including frontrunner Gadi Eisenkot and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, expressed condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers and praised those who neutralised the attackers. The UN reports that at least 96 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank this year, while four Israelis have died in the same period.
