Two Israeli Soldiers Killed in Hebron Area Shooting Attack

The attack began around 7:15 AM on Route 35, near the Judea Junction, when the two terrorists arrived in a vehicle with Israeli license plates. Armed with an M16 rifle and a pistol, they opened fire on soldiers from the Ari Battalion of the Home Front Command's Search and Rescue Brigade at a temporary checkpoint. An intense exchange of fire lasted over 20 minutes, complicating rescue efforts.

Staff Sgt. Ron Yonatan Roitman, 23, from Ashkelon, and Sgt. Yuval Shai Svilam, 20, from Hod Hasharon, were killed in the attack. According to Behadrei Haredim, five Israelis were wounded, two critically, while Al-Shams reported that six soldiers were wounded, and Ynetnews stated that three other soldiers sustained minor injuries.

An initial military investigation revealed that the temporary checkpoint disrupted the terrorists' plans. A large cache of ammunition was found in their vehicle, leading security forces to believe they had planned a much larger attack. There were no specific prior intelligence warnings. Following the incident, Israeli forces imposed a military cordon around Hebron, and the IDF Chief of Staff ordered preparations for additional reinforcements to the Central Command.