Israel Launches West Bank Operation After Deadly Attack, Ahead of Elections
The Israeli military has initiated a broad operation in the occupied West Bank targeting what it calls 'terrorist infrastructure' following the killing of two soldiers by gunmen, an action that intensifies regional tensions just days before a critical national election.
Israel's military has launched an extensive operation in the occupied West Bank, including demolishing structures and searching for suspects, following a deadly shooting attack that killed two soldiers. The operation, which began late Friday and is expected to continue for several days, targets what the Israeli military and Shin Bet domestic security agency described as "terrorist infrastructure" in the Hebron area, from which the attackers emerged.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is campaigning in a tight race for re-election, visited the scene of the attack and vowed to take a harder line against militancy in the West Bank. He and his right-wing allies pledged further action, with Netanyahu suggesting an operation on a scale not seen since the 1967 war. "We are considering a very extensive IDF operation in Judea and Samaria, such as has not been carried out since" the 1967 war," Netanyahu stated, referring to the West Bank by its biblical names.
The operation includes forces entering neighborhoods from which attackers originated, evacuating residents, and destroying what are deemed to be terrorist sites, a tactic previously employed in refugee camps in the northern West Bank. Israeli forces also shot dead the two Palestinian men who carried out the attack at the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint. Hamas, without claiming responsibility, praised the attack as "heroic."
Calls for Broader Offensive and International Concern
Far-right Israeli ministers have urged for more aggressive actions. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for a large-scale military offensive in the West Bank "exactly like in Gaza," while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir advocated for the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank. There is no evidence suggesting the Palestinian Authority's connection to the recent attack.
Israeli rights group B'Tselem has called for international pressure to prevent "collective punishment and acts that could constitute war crimes." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, through a spokesman, expressed concern over Israeli closures affecting Palestinian livelihoods and urged a halt to violence from all sides.
Escalating Violence in the West Bank
The operation unfolds amid soaring tensions in the West Bank. Since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, Israeli forces and settlers have killed 1,117 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian health ministry. During the same period, at least 51 Israelis, including civilians and security personnel, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations, according to Israeli figures. The region has also seen increased attacks by extremist Israeli settlers against Palestinian olive harvesters.
Netanyahu, who vowed to "pursue Hamas terrorists" everywhere, faces a critical election on Tuesday. The events in the West Bank have become a central theme, with candidates campaigning on security promises. Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu's top rival, offered prayers for the wounded soldiers. The October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, which resulted in 1,221 deaths in Israel, precipitated Israel's broader campaign against the group.