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IDF on High Alert After Deadly Hebron Attack Ahead of Elections
On Friday, October 23, 2026, two IDF soldiers were killed and three others were wounded in a shooting attack near Hebron. The two assailants, identified as Hamas members, used a vehicle with Israeli license plates and opened fire at close range on soldiers near a scrap yard close to a junction. Following a 20-minute firefight, the deputy battalion commander and a company commander eliminated both terrorists. The IDF stated that the soldiers' actions prevented a larger attack on civilians.
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What happened
- 01Two IDF soldiers were killed and three wounded in a shooting attack near Hebron on Friday, October 23, 2026.
- 02The two assailants, identified as Hamas members, were eliminated by a deputy battalion commander and a company commander after a 20-minute firefight.
- 03Sergeant First Class Ron Yonatan Reitman, 23, and Sergeant Yuval Shai Suilem, 20, were killed in the attack.
- 04The IDF and Border Police imposed a full closure on Hebron and surrounding villages, raiding the homes of the terrorists and other suspects.
- 05Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a full lockdown of Judea and Samaria following the attack, which occurred four days before national elections.
- 06Over the past week, security forces arrested more than 70 wanted Palestinians, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives, across Judea and Samaria.
- 07Dozens of weapons, including M16 rifles, Carlo submachine guns, and four explosive devices, were seized during the weekly operations guided by the Shin Bet.
The soldiers killed in the attack were Sergeant First Class Ron Yonatan Reitman, 23, from Ashkelon, a squad commander in the Ari Battalion of the Extraction Brigade, and Sergeant Yuval Shai Suilem, 20. Following the attack, the IDF and Border Police launched an offensive operation, imposing a full closure on Hebron and surrounding villages. Soldiers entered the homes of the eliminated terrorists and other suspects.
In response to the attack, which occurred four days before national elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a full lockdown of the Judea and Samaria region and vowed to pursue Hamas terrorists. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir ordered additional forces to be deployed to the Central Command, and the military remains on high alert across all fronts.
These actions follow a week of counter-terrorism operations in Judea and Samaria conducted by the IDF, Border Police, and the Judea and Samaria District Police under the direction of the Shin Bet. Over the past week, forces arrested more than 70 wanted Palestinians, including individuals linked to Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and seized dozens of weapons, including M16 rifles, Carlo submachine guns, airsoft weapons, and four explosive devices.
Summarized by baba from the reports of 5 newsrooms. Updated
Latest report: Channel 13. Read Channel 13’s originalThe coverage
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IDF on High Alert After Deadly Hebron Attack Ahead of Elections
