Photo: Bild
The Israeli military and security services have launched a large-scale counterterrorism operation in the Hebron area of the occupied West Bank, expected to last several days, Bild reported.
The operation follows an attack on Israeli soldiers on the morning of October 23 that killed two soldiers and wounded three others. Two Palestinian attackers were also killed at the scene.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military had prevented a larger attack and ordered Hebron to be sealed off.
Later that evening, the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet internal security service announced systematic searches aimed at locating and dismantling militant infrastructure and seizing weapons.
Border police and the Civil Administration are also participating in the operation. Israeli authorities said the main activities are concentrated in the area from which the attackers operated.
Hebron and the neighboring city of Halhul have been placed under a full blockade, with roadblocks restricting movement. Residents can leave only through three designated checkpoints, after thorough document and vehicle inspections, and when there is an urgent security need.
The military also plans to demolish unauthorized buildings it considers an immediate security threat.
