Israel Responds to Hebron Shooting with Raids, Demolitions, and Closures

The incident began around 7:30 AM when the two armed men arrived in a stolen car with Israeli license plates at a surprise military checkpoint at the northern entrance to Hebron. Realizing they could not pass the checkpoint to reach Route 35, they opened fire on the soldiers. The terrorists, armed with an M16 rifle, an M4 rifle, and a pistol, repeatedly re-armed from their vehicle during the prolonged shootout.

Soldiers from the Paratroopers Brigade's 101st Battalion, including the company commander and deputy battalion commander, engaged and killed the attackers. A large cache of ammunition was found in the vehicle, leading military officials to estimate that the terrorists had planned a much larger attack targeting civilians on main roads.

Following the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a security cordon around Hebron and Halhul, and began preparations for a closure on Judea and Samaria. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich ordered the demolition of Palestinian buildings near the site, and the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron was closed. Security forces also arrested at least four relatives of the attackers.