Netanyahu shuts West Bank after dual ambush kills two troops

Tensions in the occupied West Bank escalated sharply on Friday after two Israeli soldiers died in a coordinated ambush near Hebron. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted by ordering the closure of the entire territory, a measure that restricts movement for Palestinian residents and goods. The decision marks the fourth time in the past month that Israel has shut down gates and checkpoints linking villages to main roads.

The Israeli army confirmed that two gunmen from Hebron attacked a military position near the Yehuda Junction outside the city. The exchange of fire lasted approximately 20 minutes before troops killed both attackers. Three other soldiers sustained light injuries during the confrontation. Emergency responders reported five people injured, some critically, who were transported to hospitals in Israel. Among the injured were two men in their 20s with gunshot wounds to their legs and one person who was unconscious.

Tzuriel Edri, a member of the response team, described the arrival at the site as chaotic. "We arrived at a difficult scene while shooting was still taking place in the area," Edri said. Authorities launched an immediate investigation. The military stated that it had thwarted a planned attack on Israeli civilians and identified the suspects as armed with an M16 assault rifle and a handgun. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir noted that a large quantity of ammunition intended for a larger-scale attack was found in a vehicle used by the gunmen.

Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting of his security cabinet with senior military officials. His office instructed security forces to cordon off Hebron immediately and prepare to close the West Bank starting Friday. Netanyahu blamed Hamas for the violence, claiming the group was planning a major attack aimed at murdering innocent civilians. He added that "our brave soldiers thwarted this attack with courage and determination." Later in the day, the army began precise searches in the section of Hebron where the gunmen operated. Residents are permitted to leave only through three designated exit points after security screening.

The military also began demolishing infrastructure deemed to pose a threat. Israeli forces and security agencies conducted dozens of operations across the West Bank on Friday, arresting dozens of individuals linked to Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Weapons seized included M16 rifles and submachine guns. Netanyahu stated that the military would force Palestinians out of the Hebron neighborhood from which the attackers came. He compared this approach to Israel's assaults on two Palestinian refugee camps in 2025.

The incident occurred as Israeli voters prepare to decide on Tuesday whether to grant Netanyahu another term. Ahead of the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, attack, the prime minister suggested Hamas might strike to influence the election, though he offered no evidence. Human Rights Watch has described such expulsions as war crimes, a claim Israel rejects. U.S. congressional candidate Brad Lander, who was detained by Israeli forces on Wednesday while visiting the West Bank, called the closure part of an effort to make Palestinian life impossible. Amnesty International has labeled this year's olive harvest a season of horror for Palestinian families due to a surge in settler violence.