Full coverage· Security· Updated 15:03

Netanyahu Vows Major IDF Operation After West Bank Shooting

On Friday, October 23, 2026, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz visited the Hebron area following a severe shooting attack at the Yehuda Junction, also reported as the Etzion Junction. The attack, which left five people wounded, including two critically, was carried out by terrorists from Hebron who were neutralized by IDF soldiers after a 20-minute firefight. Netanyahu announced that the security establishment had prior intelligence of plans by Iran and its proxies to carry out attacks to influence upcoming elections.

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Netanyahu Vows Major IDF Operation After West Bank Shooting — Illustration by baba

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What happened

01Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a sweeping IDF operation in Judea and Samaria, describing it as the most extensive since the 1967 Six-Day War.
02The announcement followed a shooting attack at the Yehuda Junction by Hebron terrorists that wounded five people, including two critically, before the attackers were neutralized.
03The IDF imposed a full closure on Hebron and surrounding areas, including Dura, Dhahiriya, and Halhul, following the attack.
04The military will apply a new offensive model in Hebron, involving the evacuation of residents, house-to-house searches, and the demolition of terrorist infrastructure.
05Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that the targeted Hebron neighborhood would be cleared of terrorist infrastructure, mirroring previous operations in Jenin.
06Netanyahu stated that the security establishment had prior intelligence of plans by Iranian-backed proxies to carry out attacks ahead of the upcoming elections.
07The Prime Minister pledged to accelerate the demolition of illegal structures along main roads and vowed to continue expanding Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.

In response, Netanyahu announced a sweeping, unprecedented military operation in Judea and Samaria, describing it as the most extensive since the 1967 Six-Day War. The Prime Minister stated that the IDF is fully prepared for the operation, with the timing to be determined by the government. The offensive will apply a model previously used in refugee camps to Arab cities, beginning with a full closure on Hebron and surrounding areas, including Dura, Dhahiriya, and Halhul.

Under this new model, Israeli forces will enter the Hebron neighborhoods from which the terrorists emerged, evacuate the residents, conduct house-to-house searches to confiscate weapons, and systematically demolish terrorist infrastructure. Netanyahu and Katz confirmed that this systematic clearing of neighborhoods would mirror previous operations in Jenin. Additionally, Netanyahu pledged to accelerate the demolition of illegal structures near main roads and vowed to continue expanding and regularizing Israeli communities and outposts, with Al-Shams reporting plans to establish over 100 new communities and outposts.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 8 newsrooms. Updated 19:07