Israel launches large-scale operation following attack that killed two soldiers in the West Bank

On October 23, 2026, two Israeli soldiers were killed and three others were wounded in an armed attack near the Yehuda Junction in the Hebron region of the West Bank. Following the incident, in which the two Palestinian attackers were neutralized by Israeli forces, the Israeli administration decided to impose a full blockade and launch an operation in the region.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that a full blockade would be implemented in the West Bank and that the cities of Hebron and Halhul would be cordoned off. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the internal security service, Shin Bet, have launched a joint counter-terrorism operation that includes house-to-house searches in the area.

Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the neighborhoods from which the attackers originated would be evacuated and that infrastructure in the region would be dismantled. While Netanyahu held Hamas responsible for the planning of the attack, far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich called for the dissolution of the Palestinian Authority. The incident occurred during a period of heightened regional tension, ahead of a critical election and during the olive harvest season.