Hebron Cordon Ordered After Two Troops Slain

Approximately 70 wanted Palestinians were detained by Israeli forces during operations across the West Bank over the past week. These arrests occurred just before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a military cordon around Hebron on Friday.

The order followed a shooting attack that killed two Israeli soldiers. The Israeli military identified the deceased as Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem. Three other soldiers sustained light injuries during the incident.

Gunmen opened fire at a junction near Hebron before being killed by forces at the scene. The army recovered a large quantity of weapons and ammunition from the attackers' vehicle. Officials stated the haul indicated plans for a major assault on civilians. The shooters utilized an M16 rifle and a handgun.

Netanyahu directed the evacuation of residents from the neighborhood where the gunmen resided. He authorized a house-to-house search for weapons and the demolition of the specific site. The city of Hebron has a population exceeding 200,000 people.

"Our first step will be to demolish this site and completely transform it," Netanyahu said. He announced that the Israel Defense Forces would enter the neighborhoods where the attackers emerged to dismantle the terror infrastructure. He described the operation as extensive within Judea and Samaria, the Israeli name for the West Bank.

Netanyahu labeled the gunmen as Hamas terrorists. The group, which did not claim formal responsibility, called the attack heroic. It urged armed Palestinians to target Israeli soldiers and civilians in the occupied territory. Israel and the United States have long designated Hamas as a terrorist organization.

The escalation takes place days before Israeli elections scheduled for Tuesday. Netanyahu has centered his campaign on national security. His Likud party stated that senior security chiefs convened on Friday and that all campaign events for the day were canceled.