Netanyahu seals West Bank after Hebron ambush kills two troops

Two Israeli soldiers died on Friday after Palestinian gunmen attacked a military position near the Yehuda Junction outside Hebron. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the entire West Bank closed in response to the incident, which the army described as a thwarted assault on civilians.

The Israeli military reported that three other soldiers sustained minor injuries during the exchange. Emergency responders treated five people, some critically, at hospitals in Israel. Two men in their 20s suffered gunshot wounds to their legs, while one victim was found unconscious. Tzuriel Edri, a member of the response team, stated that the crew arrived at a difficult scene while shooting was still active in the area.

Netanyahu convened an emergency session with his security cabinet and senior military officials. His office directed security forces to cordon off Hebron immediately and prepare for a full territorial closure. The prime minister blamed Hamas for the attack, claiming the group was planning a major operation to kill innocent civilians, though he provided no specific details on the planned strike. He later described his troops as courageous and determined in foiling the ambush.

Army chief of staff Eyal Zamir announced that investigators found a large quantity of ammunition in a vehicle used by the attackers. The military said the supplies were intended for a larger-scale operation. Forces began precise and thorough searches in the specific Hebron neighborhood where the gunmen operated. The operation is expected to continue for several days, allowing residents to leave only through three designated exit points after security screening.

The military also began demolishing local infrastructure it deemed a threat. Across the West Bank, Israeli forces and security agencies conducted dozens of operations on Friday. Authorities arrested dozens of individuals, including members affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and seized weapons including M16 rifles and submachine guns.

The closure marks the fourth time in the past month that Israel has restricted movement by shutting gates and checkpoints linking Palestinian villages to main roads. The violence occurred one day before Israeli voters head to the polls to decide whether Netanyahu receives another term. He suggested Hamas might strike to influence the election but offered no evidence. Brad Lander, a U.S. congressional candidate who was detained by Israeli forces on Wednesday, described the closure as an effort to make Palestinian life impossible. Human Rights Watch has previously labeled similar expulsions as war crimes, a characterization Israel rejects.