Two Israeli soldiers killed in West Bank attack as Hebron operation begins

Two Israeli soldiers were killed and three others lightly wounded in a shooting near Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Friday, 23 October, the Israeli military said. Two Palestinian gunmen were also killed.

The soldiers who died were identified as Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman, 23, from Ashkelon, and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem, 20, from Hod Hasharon. Their deaths prompted searches and movement restrictions around Hebron, alongside threats of a broader military operation.

A preliminary military investigation, reported by The Times of Israel, suggested the gunmen had intended to attack civilians on Route 35 but opened fire on a temporary checkpoint after failing to reach the highway. The exchange of fire lasted about 20 minutes before both attackers were killed. That assessment of their intended target remained preliminary.

Israel’s military chief, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, said a substantial ammunition supply found in the attackers’ vehicle indicated preparations for a larger assault. He said troops had prevented further casualties and would expand arrests and intelligence operations.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu linked the shooting to Hamas and promised to pursue those responsible. Hamas praised the attack but did not claim responsibility, CNN reported.

Visiting the scene, Netanyahu said Israeli forces would evacuate the neighbourhood from which the attackers came, search homes for weapons and destroy infrastructure associated with armed groups. He compared the proposed action with earlier Israeli operations in northern West Bank refugee camps that displaced large numbers of Palestinians.

Netanyahu also threatened a much wider West Bank offensive, describing preparations for military action on a scale he compared with the period since the 1967 war. His comments extended beyond the immediate search for anyone connected to Friday’s shooting and were accompanied by promises to expand Israeli settlements, according to the ABC.

The military’s description of the operation already underway was narrower. In an announcement reported early on Saturday, it said the operation was confined to the area from which the attackers had operated and was expected to continue for several days.

The military, Shin Bet security agency, Border Police and Civil Administration were involved in searches for weapons and suspected militant infrastructure, as well as questioning dozens of people, according to the announcement.

Statements about movement restrictions also changed during Friday. Initial announcements referred to sealing Hebron and closing the wider West Bank. Netanyahu later appeared to narrow the immediate proposal to a cordon around Hebron and neighbouring Halhul, potentially extending to other areas, CNN reported.

Residents within the military’s operational area would be permitted to leave through three designated exit points, Israeli authorities said. Departure would involve security checks and questioning, with anyone considered suspicious referred for further interrogation. The arrangements placed civilians’ ability to leave the affected neighbourhoods under military screening.

Demolitions began within hours of the shooting. A Reuters reporter saw bulldozers destroying homes near the attack site. Residents told the news agency that properties facing demolition had no connection to the gunmen, raising questions about the extent of the response and the grounds on which buildings were being selected.

The Palestinian official news agency WAFA reported that a residential building containing three apartments was demolished north of Hebron. In a separate evening report, it described destruction affecting commercial premises in the Farsh al-Hawa area west of the city, including a ceramics business and an automotive parts shop. Those accounts indicated that the destruction extended to both housing and business property.

Video obtained by VNN showed an Israeli soldier telling residents of a housing complex: “You have five minutes to evacuate.” The footage accompanied reports of demolitions in Farsh al-Hawa.

The Israeli military said it was demolishing structures it considered illegally built and potentially threatening to security. It also said troops had measured the attackers’ homes ahead of their possible demolition, a preparatory step distinct from confirmation that those particular homes had already been destroyed.

The Guardian reported that Israel’s High Court issued a temporary order halting demolitions after an urgent petition from nearby factory owners.

Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem condemned the proposed displacement. Its executive director, Yuli Novak, warned that Israeli leaders intended to repeat the destruction and mass displacement previously inflicted on northern West Bank refugee camps.

The United Nations expressed concern about the expanding consequences for Palestinian civilians. Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Secretary-General António Guterres was troubled by the closures, reported home demolitions and possible displacement in Hebron. Restrictions on movement were undermining access to basic services and livelihoods, he said.

The attack also prompted demands from far-right members of Netanyahu’s government for action against the Palestinian Authority. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for its dismantling.

The authority administers parts of the West Bank, including most of Hebron. The Times of Israel reported that there was no indication it had been involved in the shooting. The ministers’ demands therefore went beyond the military’s stated investigation into the two attackers and anyone who assisted them.

Friday’s violence occurred four days before Israel’s election on Tuesday, 27 October. Reuters reported that polling showed neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot securing a parliamentary majority, placing the attack and the government’s response in the closing days of a closely contested campaign.

For Palestinian communities, the restrictions coincide with the olive harvest. The UN human rights office said existing movement controls were already preventing thousands of farmers from reaching their groves and warned of serious consequences for the season.

The office documented more than 160 settler attacks during the first two weeks of October, including shootings, arson, crop theft and damage to olive trees. Guterres condemned settler violence and called on Israel, as the occupying power, to protect Palestinians and hold perpetrators accountable. He also urged all parties to stop violence and avoid measures that would further inflame tensions.