Election days away, Israeli military says attack left 2 soldiers killed and 2 gunmen dead in west bank

Attack near Hebron

The attack took place Friday morning near the Yehuda Junction, outside Hebron. The military identified the soldiers killed as Staff Sgt. Ron Yonatan Roytman, 23, and Sgt. Yuval Shai Svilem, 20; three other soldiers were lightly wounded.

The army said the two suspects, Palestinians from Hebron, arrived at an Israeli military position carrying an M16 rifle and a handgun. An exchange of fire lasted about 20 minutes, and Israeli troops killed the suspects.

The military said its forces stopped the men from advancing farther, where civilians could have been harmed. It described the incident as an attempted attack on Israeli civilians.

Netanyahu promises response

He said residents would be evacuated, homes searched, weapons removed and what he called terror infrastructure destroyed. Netanyahu later met with his Security Cabinet and senior military and security officials, and blamed Hamas for the attack.

The prime minister praised the soldiers and wished the wounded a speedy recovery. He did not explain what the planned attack involved.

Election tensions rise

Israeli voters are due to decide next Tuesday whether Netanyahu will remain in office or a new era of politics will begin. The election comes three years after Hamas-led attacks on Israel triggered the war in Gaza.

The government has warned of possible attacks by Israel’s enemies before the vote. Friday’s violence is likely to increase political tensions and security concerns.

Calls for wider action

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said the attack showed Palestinians’ freedom of movement in the West Bank should be restricted. Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also urged the military to take control of the territory from the Palestinian Authority.

Smotrich called for a broad military campaign to dismantle the Palestinian Authority and collect weapons. The report said there was no evidence that the governing body had ties to the gunmen.

After the shooting, the army said Israeli forces and security and intelligence agencies carried out dozens of West Bank operations and detained dozens of people, including people affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The army also reported finding weapons, including M16 rifles and submachine guns.

Army chief of staff Eyal Zamir said a large amount of ammunition was found in a vehicle used by the gunmen, and said it was meant for a larger-scale attack. West Bank closures are becoming more common: Israel had imposed territory-wide restrictions four times in the past month. Roads remain open to Israeli drivers, including settlers, though delays are possible.