Two Israeli Soldiers Killed in West Bank Shooting Attack Near Hebron

Two Israeli soldiers, Sergeant Ron Yonatan Reutman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Suilam, were killed in a shooting attack near the Yehuda Junction in the West Bank on Friday. Three other individuals sustained minor injuries in the incident and were evacuated to a hospital.

The attack began when two Hamas-affiliated terrorists, both 27 and from Hebron, opened fire on a checkpoint. The terrorists, armed with an M4 rifle and a handgun, reportedly opened fire after realizing they could not reach their intended destination on Route 35. A gun battle ensued for approximately 20 minutes between the terrorists and IDF soldiers from the Home Front Command's "Ari" battalion, who were conducting vehicle inspections at the checkpoint.

Additional IDF forces arrived at the scene, and after a prolonged exchange of fire, both terrorists were neutralized. During a situation assessment following the attack, the Chief of Staff stated, "This is a severe attack. The rapid actions of the soldiers prevented an even more serious attack and further harm to civilians and security forces." He also noted that a large quantity of ammunition, intended for a larger-scale attack, was found in the vehicle used by the terrorists.