developing· Security· Updated 00:14

IDF Launches Hebron Operation After Deadly Terror Attack

On Friday, October 23, 2026, two IDF soldiers, Sergeant First Class Ron Yonatan Reitman, 23, and Sergeant Yuval Shai Suilem, 20, 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 near a scrap yard close to a junction. Following a 20-minute firefight, the deputy battalion commander and a company commander eliminated both attackers. An initial investigation suggests the terrorists planned a major attack on civilians but were intercepted by the soldiers.

9 newsrooms · 3 languages · since 23 Oct, 10:21

Plus

IDF Launches Hebron Operation After Deadly Terror Attack — Illustration by baba

Watch · 2 clips

Clips the newsrooms posted about this story. They play from YouTube, Instagram, Telegram, TikTok and X.

YouTube plays free. 2 more with Plus.

Photos · 3

Photos the newsrooms posted about this story, and the ones the IDF and Magen David Adom released.

Official photos are free. 3 more with Plus.

What happened

01Two IDF soldiers, Ron Yonatan Reitman and Yuval Shai Suilem, were killed and three were wounded in a shooting attack near Hebron on Friday.
02The two attackers, identified as Hamas members, were eliminated by a deputy battalion commander and a company commander after a 20-minute firefight.
03The IDF and Border Police imposed a full closure on Hebron and surrounding villages, launching a multi-day counterterrorism operation.
04Residents of the Hebron area are restricted to leaving through three designated checkpoints, where they face security checks and interrogation.
05Over the past week, security forces arrested more than 70 wanted individuals, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives, across Judea and Samaria.
06Dozens of weapons, including M16 rifles, Carlo submachine guns, and four explosive devices, were seized during the weekly operations.
07Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered a full lockdown of Judea and Samaria as security forces remain on high alert four days before national elections.

In response, the IDF, Border Police, and the Shin Bet launched a large-scale counterterrorism operation in Hebron and surrounding villages, imposing a full closure on the area. Soldiers mapped the homes of the eliminated terrorists, raided the residences of other suspects, and began dismantling illegal structures near the encounter site that could pose a security risk. The military also established checkpoints, blocked major roads, and conducted vehicle inspections. Residents are permitted to leave the region through three designated checkpoints, where they must undergo security checks and interrogation.

This operation is part of a broader counterterrorism effort across Judea and Samaria. Over the past week, security forces arrested more than 70 wanted individuals, including operatives linked to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and seized dozens of weapons, including M16 rifles, Carlo submachine guns, airsoft guns, and four explosive devices. Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered a full lockdown of the Judea and Samaria region, and the military remains on high alert across all fronts, especially with national elections scheduled just four days away.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 9 newsrooms. Updated 00:31