Hebron Mayor: 2,500 People Facing Displacement in New Israeli Military Push

Israeli forces have begun a large-scale operation in Hebron, demolishing homes and businesses and displacing at least 200 families, according to local officials. The military action started on Friday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered buildings near the site of a recent checkpoint attack to be destroyed. Footage shared online shows bulldozers leveling entire streets, with damage visible across multiple residential areas.

Mayor Youssef al-Jaabari stated that the operation is focused on the Ein Deir Baha and Farsh al-Hawa neighborhoods. He reported that the military is targeting roughly 0.35 square kilometers of urban land, with the intent to displace 2,500 people. Dozens of families were forced to spend the night outdoors, and some residents were told to leave their homes without their vehicles. Houses marked with spray paint indicate which structures are next for demolition.

The Israel Defense Forces sealed off the city, sharply limiting movement for its 200,000 residents. In a social media statement, the army said it has dozens of targets across the West Bank and that operations will continue for several days. The IDF did not immediately answer a request for comment from the BBC. The operation follows an attack on a checkpoint where two Israeli soldiers were killed and three others were wounded by two Palestinian gunmen, both of whom were killed.

Netanyahu announced the operation on Friday, traveling to Hebron wearing protective armor. He cancelled his party's campaign events for that morning and posted a video from the scene. The Prime Minister said the military would go house to house to remove weapons and destroy terrorist infrastructure. He also mentioned reviewing plans for the largest military operation in the West Bank since 1967, though he did not specify when that might occur.

The Palestinian Authority called for urgent international action to prevent further forced displacement. Within the Israeli government, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged a campaign in the West Bank similar to those in Gaza or Lebanon. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority. Netanyahu compared the current actions to earlier campaigns in northern refugee camps in 2025, where hundreds of homes were destroyed and tens of thousands were displaced.

Al-Jaabari told journalists that the operation is driven by the upcoming general election, which is four days away. He said Netanyahu and his ministers are trying to win votes from the far right and settlers. The mayor noted that demolishing the homes of Palestinians suspected of attacks is a common practice in the West Bank, a method criticized by Israeli rights groups as collective punishment.