Two Soldiers Killed and Five Wounded in Hebron Checkpoint Shooting Attack
Two Israeli soldiers were killed and five people were wounded on Friday morning in a shooting attack near the Yehuda Junction close to Hebron, The Jerusalem Post reported. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that troops killed the two attackers at the scene. CNN reported that three more soldiers were lightly wounded in the incident, while two of the five initial casualties later died of their injuries.
The attackers arrived in a vehicle, observing soldiers from the Home Front Command’s Ari Battalion before opening fire. According to a preliminary investigation, the two gunmen carried a large quantity of ammunition. The soldiers involved were deployed to the area on their first operational assignment.
Prime Minister Orders West Bank Closure and Evacuation of Attackers’ Neighborhood
Following the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a full closure of the West Bank and announced plans to dismantle the neighborhood from which the gunmen originated. Netanyahu visited the site with Defense Minister Israel Katz and stated that Israel would employ the aggressive operational model used in West Bank refugee camps.
We will act to destroy this place, to change it completely,
Netanyahu said in a video released by his office, as reported by The Times of Israel. He added that authorities would evacuate residents, go house to house, remove weapons, and dismantle all terrorist infrastructure in the specific Hebron neighborhood.
Defense Minister Katz argued that the attack aligned with warnings issued by security officials regarding threats from Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood. Katz asserted that hostile networks planned attacks to disrupt Israel’s upcoming general elections, which are scheduled to take place just four days after the incident.
Israel Police Clarify Status of AFP Photographer at the Scene
Israel Police officials clarified on Friday that there was no suspicion a Palestinian photographer working with Agence France-Presse had advance knowledge of the shooting, according to The Jerusalem Post. The clarification followed reports in foreign media featuring professional photographs taken by the journalist in real time at the scene.
The IDF stated that the entire incident remains under investigation. Judea and Samaria District Police Commander Maj.-Gen. Moshe Pinchi assigned the case to the district’s Minorities Division within the Central Investigations Unit, operating in coordination with the Shin Bet.
Enhanced Security Measures and Confiscation of Illegal Vehicles
Commander Pinchi instructed investigators to focus enforcement efforts on a vehicle that had been taken off the road and was used in the attack.
District police will increase inspections along major roads, verify the status of suspect vehicles, and step up operational coordination with IDF troops deployed across the area. Ynetnews reported that the military previously raised its alert level twice over the past month, first around the anniversary of the October 7 attacks and again ahead of the vote.
Unresolved Details Regarding the West Bank Closure
While the IDF imposed a cordon around villages in the area and authorities announced a comprehensive West Bank closure, uncertainties remain regarding practical enforcement. CNN reported that it was unclear exactly when the full closure would begin or how long it would last. CNN reported that while routine checkpoints restrict movement between Palestinian towns, the military lacks the manpower to shut down all 900 checkpoints and barriers spread across the territory.