Netanyahu Orders West Bank Closure After Hebron Firefight Kills Two Soldiers

Twenty minutes of sustained gunfire ended Friday morning when Israeli forces killed two Palestinian gunmen near the Yehuda Junction outside Hebron. The engagement resulted in the deaths of two Israeli soldiers and left three others lightly wounded. The attack prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to order the immediate closure of the West Bank, a measure that restricts movement across the territory for the fourth time in the past month.

The Israeli army stated that the two attackers, identified as residents of Hebron, approached a military position armed with an M16 assault rifle and a handgun. Military officials said the men intended to launch a terror attack against civilians. An investigation is currently underway to determine the full scope of the planned operation.

Emergency responders treated five individuals for injuries sustained during the firefight. Two men in their 20s suffered gunshot wounds to their lower limbs, while one other person remained unconscious and critically injured. Tzuriel Edri, a member of the response team, described the scene as difficult, noting that units arrived while shooting was still active in the area.

Netanyahu convened an emergency session of his security cabinet shortly after the incident. His office directed security forces to cordon off Hebron and prepare to seal the entire West Bank. The prime minister attributed the attack to Hamas, claiming the group was planning a major offensive aimed at killing civilians. He described the soldiers' response as courageous, though he did not provide specific details regarding the nature of the planned attack.

Military operations in Hebron expanded later in the day as troops began precise searches in the neighborhood where the gunmen operated. The operation is expected to continue for several days. Residents of the targeted area will be permitted to exit only through three designated checkpoints after undergoing security screening. The army also initiated the demolition of infrastructure it deemed a threat to forces. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir announced that a large quantity of ammunition was recovered from a vehicle used by the attackers, materials intended for a larger-scale assault.

Across the West Bank, Israeli forces and security agencies conducted dozens of operations on Friday. Officials reported arresting dozens of suspects, including members affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Weapons seized during these raids included M16 rifles and submachine guns.

The incident occurs on the eve of the national election scheduled for next Tuesday. Voters will decide whether to grant Netanyahu another term. The prime minister suggested Hamas might attempt to influence the vote with a strike, a claim he made without presenting new evidence. This development falls ahead of the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, attack that sparked the current war.

Netanyahu stated that the military would force Palestinians out of the specific Hebron neighborhood from which the attackers emerged. He compared this expulsion strategy to Israel’s assaults on two Palestinian refugee camps in 2025. Human Rights Watch has characterized such expulsions as war crimes, a classification Israel rejects. The move has drawn criticism from observers and residents alike.

Brad Lander, a U.S. congressional candidate who was in the West Bank on Friday and detained by Israeli forces on Wednesday, described the closure as an effort to tighten control and make Palestinian life difficult. The timing coincides with the olive harvest, a period Amnesty International has called a season of horror for Palestinian families due to a surge in settler violence this year.