IDF Launches Hebron Operation After Deadly Terror Attack

The IDF and Shin Bet launched a large-scale operation in Hebron late Friday night, expected to last several days, in response to a deadly terror attack at the Yehuda Junction that killed two soldiers. The operation involves forces scanning dozens of targets, including those linked to the clan from which the attackers originated. "IDF, Shin Bet, Border Police, and the Judea Regional Brigade command have launched an operation to thwart terror in the Hebron area, from which the two terrorists who were eliminated in the exchange of fire originated," a statement read. Forces are systematically searching all infrastructure in the area for terror assets and weapons, and interrogating dozens of suspects. Residents in the operational zone will be allowed to leave through designated points after security checks. The operation is a direct continuation of earlier actions, including mapping the terrorists' homes, imposing a closure on Hebron and Dura, and conducting counter-terror activities in surrounding villages. The IDF is also removing illegal infrastructure posing security risks.

The attack occurred earlier Friday on Route 35 near Hebron when two Palestinian terrorists in a vehicle opened fire on an IDF force. In the ensuing 20-minute firefight, Sergeant-Major Ron Yonatan Reutman, 23, from Ashkelon, and Sergeant Yuval Shai Suilam, 20, from Hod Hasharon, were killed, and three other soldiers were lightly wounded. Additional forces arrived, surrounded, and eliminated the terrorists. Security officials believe the attackers intended a significant attack on civilians, and their weapons cache, including an M16 rifle and a pistol, was substantial. It remains unclear if they acted independently or were directed by an external entity.

The two eliminated terrorists, Hamuda al-Ja'aba and Firas al-Ja'aba, both 27 and from Hebron, belonged to the same clan and lived near each other. Following the attack, security forces mapped their homes, and a closure was imposed on Hebron and Dura. The IDF also implemented "Grey Bolt" procedures, inspecting Palestinian vehicles on main routes, and heightened security in Jenin, Nablus, and Jericho due to fears of further attacks.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited the attack site with Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, announced Israel's intention to expand operations in the areas from which the terrorists came. Netanyahu stated his plan to implement a model similar to military operations in West Bank refugee camps, involving extensive troop entry, resident evacuation, and the destruction of terror infrastructure. "We will evacuate residents, we will go house to house, we will remove weapons, and all terror infrastructure will be dealt with and destroyed," he said. The two fallen soldiers served in the newly established Ari Battalion (775) of the Home Front Command's Rescue Brigade, which had just begun its first operational deployment. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir indicated that the IDF had prepared for a potential escalation in Judea and Samaria, reinforcing forces and deploying the 98th Division headquarters to the area.