סמ״ר רון יונתן רויטמן וסמל יובל שי סוילם נהרגו בפיגוע הירי במחסום סמוך לחברון

Two IDF soldiers, Sergeant First Class Ron Jonathan Reutman, 23, from Ashkelon, and Staff Sergeant Yuval Shay Suilem, 20, from Hod Hasharon, were killed in a shooting attack at a checkpoint near Hebron in the West Bank. Both soldiers served in the 775th Battalion of the Home Front Command's Rescue and Relief Brigade. Reutman was a squad commander. Three other soldiers from the battalion were lightly and moderately wounded in the attack.

Commander of the Central Command, Major General Avi Bluth, stated that the "severe terrorist attack against Israeli civilians was thwarted this morning thanks to the bravery of IDF soldiers." He added, "Unfortunately, we paid a heavy price during the encounter, and two soldiers fell in battle. The IDF is the protector of Israeli citizens." Bluth announced that the IDF is launching a significant operation to thwart terrorism and imposing a closure on the Hebron area, vowing to hold all terrorists accountable and dismantle terror infrastructure.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced during a visit to Hebron with Defense Minister Israel Katz that Israel will destroy the neighborhood in Hebron from which the terrorists who carried out the shooting attack originated. He stated that Israel would implement a successful and aggressive model used in refugee camps, which are essentially terror strongholds. Netanyahu explained that residents would be evacuated, homes searched for weapons, and all terror infrastructure dealt with and destroyed. He also mentioned plans for a broad operation in the West Bank, the largest since Israel captured the territory in 1967, stating the IDF is prepared and the timing will be determined.

Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed Netanyahu's sentiments, stating the attack was part of a plan by the Iranian Shiite axis and the Muslim Brotherhood to carry out attacks against IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians to disrupt the upcoming Israeli elections. He also tweeted that the entire Hamula neighborhood in Hebron, from which the terrorists emerged, would be evacuated and its terror infrastructure dealt with and thwarted, calling it the only language jihadist terror understands.

Separately, acting Director General of the Election Committee, Dean Livna, informed the competing lists about a Supreme Court decision prohibiting poll workers and observers from digitally transmitting real-time vote counts from polling stations to their parties on election day.