Five Israelis Wounded, Two Critically, in West Bank Shooting Attack; Perpetrators Killed

A shooting attack targeting a military outpost near the settlement of Telem, west of Hebron, on Friday morning resulted in five Israeli soldiers being wounded, two critically, one seriously, and two lightly. Israeli media reported that all casualties were soldiers from the Israeli military. The military announced that the two perpetrators were killed after a pursuit.

According to the Israeli army radio, the attackers were residents of Hebron in the southern West Bank. The Israeli military had initially reported receiving a notification of a shooting near a junction in the Hebron area, stating that details were under investigation. Large forces were dispatched to the scene, initiating extensive searches.

Initial reports indicated the target was a military outpost near Telem. Soldiers in the area returned fire as the perpetrators attempted to flee, leading to a pursuit that ended with their deaths near the site of the attack. Magen David Adom reported receiving a call at 7:15 AM about casualties from the shooting. Paramedics treated two initial casualties, one unconscious and one with minor injuries, before the total number of wounded soldiers reached five.

Tzuriel Adri, a Magen David Adom paramedic, described a difficult scene with ongoing gunfire, stating they entered with an armored ambulance to evacuate the wounded. He detailed treating a man in his twenties who was unconscious with critical gunshot wounds, and other evacuated casualties. Hanan Meir, another paramedic, described treating a conscious man in his twenties with minor gunshot wounds to his lower limbs, and another with similar minor injuries. Avraham Ethan Stern, a third paramedic, treated a conscious man in his early twenties with minor facial injuries, likely from shrapnel.

Medical personnel on site reported that the exchange of fire between the perpetrators and Israeli forces lasted over 20 minutes, complicating the evacuation of the wounded. Following the incident, the Israeli military imposed a full closure on the entrances and exits of the Hebron governorate, conducted raids and arrests, and established checkpoints and a security cordon around surrounding villages. Roads were closed as searches continued. Israeli news sites claimed one of the perpetrators was linked to Hamas, which reportedly welcomed the attack. Chief of Staff Ayala Zamir visited the site, announcing a large quantity of ammunition was found in the perpetrators' vehicle, thwarting a more serious attack, and ordered additional forces to be prepared for deployment to the Central Command.