Israel Razes Hebron Homes After Checkpoint Ambush

Residents in Hebron and the nearby town of Halhul now live under military cordons as excavators begin tearing down structures in a specific district. The operation, which began on October 23, 2026, follows a shooting incident at a checkpoint that left two Israeli soldiers dead and three others injured. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the military would completely transform the area from which the attackers emerged.

The sequence of events began with two Palestinian gunmen exiting a vehicle armed with a handgun and an assault rifle. They opened fire on soldiers at a checkpoint outside Hebron, resulting in a verified gun battle that ended with both attackers dead. The military announced it found a large quantity of ammunition in their car, leading officials to believe the men originally targeted the nearby Route 35 but were intercepted by the checkpoint.

Netanyahu, speaking from the scene, linked the destruction to Israel’s readiness for extensive action in the West Bank. He compared the move to previous operations in refugee camps that displaced thousands of residents. He also revealed he had reviewed plans for the largest military operation in the West Bank in decades, though he did not specify a timeline for its launch. The cordons currently in place affect approximately 200,000 residents of Hebron and those in Halhul.

The incident has immediately altered the national election campaign scheduled for four days later. The Likud party canceled its campaign events planned for Friday morning. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for a campaign in the West Bank similar to those conducted in Gaza or Lebanon. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir urged the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority. These far-right positions align with the security-focused platform Netanyahu has used to build his bid for office.

Political tensions escalated before the shooting as well. On Thursday, Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused opposition leaders of undermining the government by criticizing Netanyahu’s warnings of a potential attack. He labeled them responsible for any future incidents. Opposition figures, including polling frontrunner Gadi Eisenkot and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, offered condolences to the families of the dead soldiers while praising the troops who killed the attackers.

The attack occurs amid heightened tensions in the West Bank, where extremist Jewish settlers have targeted Palestinians during the annual olive harvest. According to UN data, at least 96 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the territory since the start of 2026. Four Israelis, comprising security forces and civilians, have been killed in the region by Palestinians over the same period, excluding the two soldiers from the latest checkpoint ambush.