Israel to Intensify Security Operations in West Bank After Attack
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS French by baba
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a major crackdown on security operations in Judea and Samaria following an armed attack near Hebron on October 23. The new measures include evacuations, house searches, weapons seizures, and town closures. The plan targets a specific Hebron neighborhood and may be expanded to other West Bank cities. The military is investigating the possibility of external direction for the attack.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced intensified security operations in Judea and Samaria after an attack.
- Measures include resident evacuations, house searches, weapons seizures, and town closures.
- Two assailants were neutralized after a 20-minute firefight that wounded several soldiers.
- The military is investigating the possibility of the attack being directed from abroad.
- Hebron and Halhul are under lockdown, with potential expansion of the security model to other cities.
Following an armed attack near the Judea crossroads in the Hebron region on Friday, October 23, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a significant escalation of security operations in Judea and Samaria. The planned measures include resident evacuations, systematic house searches, weapons seizures, and the closure of several towns. According to initial reports from the Israeli military, two assailants, approximately 27 years old and from Hebron, were heading towards their target for a large-scale attack when they encountered a routine checkpoint manned by soldiers. A firefight lasting about twenty minutes ensued, resulting in several soldiers being wounded. The two assailants were eventually neutralized after an Israeli unit managed to flank them. A substantial amount of ammunition found in their vehicle suggests that a larger attack was potentially averted. The military is also investigating the possibility that the operation was directed from abroad. After a security assessment involving the Defense Minister, Chief of Staff, Shin Bet director, and Central Command chief, Netanyahu ordered an immediate lockdown of Hebron and preparations for a potential complete closure of Judea and Samaria. The Prime Minister detailed a strategy for the Hebron neighborhood from which the assailants reportedly originated, stating, "We are applying to this neighborhood the offensive model that has proven itself in the refugee camps, which are in reality terrorist strongholds." He explained that residents of the affected area would be evacuated to allow Israeli forces to conduct house-to-house searches, seize weapons, and dismantle terrorist infrastructure. Concurrently, the cities of Hebron and Halhul are under lockdown and enhanced control measures, with arrest operations targeting individuals suspected of links to the assailants. Netanyahu warned that this model might be extended to other towns, indicating the possibility of a broader security operation in the West Bank.
