Tensions Escalate In Hebron As Netanyahu Orders Security Clampdown After D3adly Shooting

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered an immediate security cordon around Hebron and preparations for a possible full lockdown of the occupied West Bank following a shooting incident that left five Israelis wounded.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the attack occurred on Friday near a checkpoint close to the Palestinian city of Hebron, days before Israel’s general election. Israel’s emergency medical service, Magen David Adom, confirmed that five Israelis in their 20s sustained injuries, with two reportedly in critical condition. One of the victims was said to have suffered a serious gunshot wound.

The Israeli military said its troops responded to the early-morning shooting near the Judea Junction area and killed two suspected Palestinian attackers during an exchange of gunfire.

Witnesses reportedly told journalists that the two men were armed with a handgun and an automatic rifle when they exchanged fire with Israeli forces near the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint. Their bodies were later seen near a petrol station as Israeli troops secured the surrounding area.

Netanyahu praised the soldiers involved in the operation, claiming their intervention had prevented what could have developed into a major attack. He also alleged that the suspects had been carrying a substantial quantity of ammunition in their vehicle.

Following the incident, the Israeli leader directed the military and security agencies to impose an immediate cordon around Hebron and prepare for a comprehensive lockdown across the West Bank, which Israel refers to as Judea and Samaria.

He also ordered the cancellation of political meetings organised by his Likud party on Friday, as security operations intensified in the area.

The Israeli military subsequently confirmed that it had launched counter-terrorism operations around Hebron, including raids on the homes of the suspected attackers and searches at other locations. Netanyahu also said security forces were increasing operations against suspected militants and conducting large-scale arrests.

The shooting prompted renewed calls from far-right Israeli politicians for a more extensive military campaign in the occupied West Bank. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich advocated an operation similar to Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon, arguing that Palestinian armed groups should be dismantled and weapons seized.

Smotrich further disclosed that he had ordered the demolition of a large row of structures near the attack site, describing them as illegal Arab buildings.

Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, also called for the Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the occupied West Bank, to be dismantled and demilitarised. He demanded the destruction of what he described as its militant infrastructure. However, no evidence was presented linking the Palestinian Authority to Friday’s shooting.

Meanwhile, Hamas, the Palestinian militant group based in Gaza, praised the attack and mourned the two men killed by Israeli troops. Although the group did not claim responsibility for the incident, it described the shooting as a response to what it characterised as continuing Israeli attacks against Palestinians and called on supporters to carry out further attacks against Israeli forces and settlers.

Netanyahu responded by vowing to pursue Hamas members, warning that they would have nowhere to hide.

Gadi Eisenkot, a former Israeli military chief and one of Netanyahu’s leading political rivals, praised the response of Israeli troops and expressed hope for the recovery of those injured in the shooting.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions across the occupied West Bank, where violence involving Israeli settlers, Palestinian residents and security forces has continued since the Gaza war began in October 2023. Reports have documented attacks by extremist Israeli settlers against Palestinian olive harvesters, alongside deadly confrontations involving Palestinian attackers and Israeli forces.

The latest escalation also comes at a politically sensitive moment, with Israelis preparing to vote in an election expected to be closely contested. The security situation in the West Bank and the government’s response to attacks are likely to remain major issues in the political debate.

Reports cited in the supplied account indicate that at least 49 Israelis, including civilians and security personnel, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations over the period referenced. The same reports state that Israeli forces and settlers have killed 1,113 Palestinians in the West Bank since the Gaza war began in October 2023. These figures reflect the reported toll and may vary depending on the reporting period and source.