Netanyahu says Israel will tear down Hebron spot where soldiers died

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a major military operation in the West Bank and a full cordon of Hebron on Friday. The decision followed a shooting attack by two Palestinian men that resulted in the deaths of two Israeli soldiers. The prime minister said the first step would be to demolish the site where the gunmen operated and to completely transform the area.

The Israeli military identified the deceased soldiers as Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem. Three other soldiers sustained light injuries. The army stated that the gunmen opened fire at a junction near Hebron before being killed by forces at the scene. A search of the attackers' vehicle revealed a large quantity of weapons and ammunition. The military said the armament included an M16 rifle and a handgun and indicated plans for a major attack on civilians.

Netanyahu instructed troops to evacuate residents from the Hebron neighborhood where the gunmen lived. He said the Israel Defense Forces would enter the neighborhoods from which the attackers emerged, move house to house, and dismantle what he called the terror infrastructure. The prime minister used the term Judea and Samaria to describe the territory and said Israel was prepared for an extensive operation. Hebron has more than 200,000 inhabitants.

Netanyahu labeled the gunmen as Hamas terrorists. Hamas, which Israel and the United States have designated as a terrorist group, called the attack heroic. The group described the shooting as a legitimate response to ongoing crimes against its people, land, and holy sites. Hamas did not claim responsibility but urged armed Palestinians in the West Bank to attack Israeli soldiers and civilians.

The Israeli military said it had begun offensive counterterrorism operations in the Hebron area. Soldiers were operating inside the homes of the attackers and other suspects. The army also reported arresting around 70 wanted Palestinians in West Bank operations over the past week. Netanyahu said the escalation comes days before Israel holds elections on Tuesday. He made national security a central theme of his campaign and characterized the shooting as an attempt to influence the vote.

His Likud party said Netanyahu convened senior security chiefs on Friday. All campaign events for the rest of that day were canceled. The attack follows a recent surge in violence in the West Bank. It also occurred after Brad Lander, a New York Democratic candidate for Congress, was briefly detained by Israeli forces this week while helping Palestinian farmers during the annual olive harvest.