Israel has launched a sweeping security operation in Hebron after two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others at a checkpoint, triggering a major crackdown across the occupied West Bank. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered tighter security measures and a closure across the West Bank as Israeli forces intensify their operations in the attack zone. The Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Security Agency are conducting weapons searches, interrogations and arrests across Hebron as the manhunt for suspects continues. Israeli authorities have also begun demolitions and forced evacuations, with up to 200 Palestinian families reportedly displaced from Hebron’s Al-Jalda neighbourhood.

Israeli forces have killed two suspected gunmen near Hebron in the occupied West Bank, while five people were wounded in a shooting near the Yehuda Junction. Israeli authorities say an attack on civilians was foiled, with reports indicating that the suspects were carrying an M16 rifle and a handgun. The injured were rushed to hospitals, with at least one victim reported to be in critical condition. The deadly shooting has triggered a fresh security crackdown across the West Bank, with Israeli forces imposing roadblocks and military closures across Palestinian towns. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered tighter security measures as Israeli authorities investigate the incident and prepare for a wider lockdown across the territory. WATCH