IDF Ends Two-Year Ban on Airstrikes in West Bank Amid Rising Terror Threats

For the past two years, the IDF's Central Command and West Bank Division avoided conducting airstrikes in the West Bank due to concerns about Arab enemy retaliation and international reactions. This cautious approach began after the tenure of former Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Central Command Commander Yehuda Fuchs, who had authorized over 100 airstrikes in less than a year in the West Bank.

Recently, following intelligence indicating that three terrorists were traveling by vehicle in the Qabatiya area, the IDF's elite counterterrorism unit prepared to neutralize them. Due to the high risk to ground forces, the military granted approval for an airstrike, marking a shift from the previous restraint. This decision ended the two-year period of reluctance to use air power in the region.

Current commanders, including Avi Blot and Kobi Heller, have advised political leadership to continue avoiding airstrikes to prevent escalation, despite ongoing severe terror threats inspired by the October 7 attacks. Meanwhile, political disputes, such as the refusal of Central Command Chief Eyal Zamir to appoint key civilian and military leaders, raise concerns about the timing and adequacy of responses to future terror incidents against Israeli civilians.

The recent airstrike in Jenin reflects a renewed willingness by the IDF to employ aerial operations against terrorist targets in the West Bank, signaling a potential change in military strategy amid escalating security challenges.