IDF razes 200 sites in Hebron after ambush kills two soldiers
Troops from elite units are sweeping western Hebron and arresting suspects following a fatal attack at Yehuda Junction that targeted military personnel.
By Larissa Bell ·
Israeli military forces and Civil Administration staff demolished illegally built structures and infrastructure near the northern entrance of Hebron on Saturday. These actions followed a large-scale operation triggered by a shooting attack the previous day that left two soldiers dead.
The attack at Yehuda Junction on Friday killed Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem. The military stated that the demolitions were carried out close to the shooting site to enforce law and order. Officials said the structures posed potential security threats to the area.
The Judea Brigade commands the counterterrorism campaign. It involves troops from the Duvdevan and Maglan units, the Paratroopers Brigade, Givati reconnaissance reservists, and Border Police. The Shin Bet security agency provides intelligence guidance for the operation.
Soldiers searched approximately 200 locations during the sweep. They ruled out the presence of weapons and terrorist activity in these areas. Authorities arrested 10 suspects during the operation. The military identified the gunmen as Hamouda and Firas al-Ja'aba, both affiliated with Hamas. Officials said the attackers came from the Ein Dir-Baha neighborhood.
IDF assessments indicate that about 2,000 residents in the area belong to the Ja'aba clan. This clan is affiliated with Hamas and is the origin of the Friday attackers. The military began evacuating the al-Jalda and Ein Dir-Baha neighborhoods on Friday evening. These are densely populated districts in western Hebron within the Palestinian urban area.
Civilians who requested to leave were permitted to exit through checkpoints operated by the Shin Bet and the IDF. Officials explained that moving residents from buildings allows personnel to search structures, homes, and immediate surroundings. They are looking for terrorist infrastructure, weapons, ammunition, explosives laboratories, and weapons caches without endangering civilians.
A situational assessment is scheduled for Saturday to determine if the operation will expand. Brigadier General Kobi Heller, commander of the IDF West Bank Division, has already broadened arrest operations and searches in Nablus, Jenin, and Tulkarm. He has also expanded activities in additional locations throughout Samaria.
