IDF Clears 200 Hebron Sites, Evacuates 2,000 After Ambush

Israeli forces and Civil Administration personnel completed the demolition of illegally constructed buildings and infrastructure near the northern entrance to Hebron on Saturday. The work proceeded as part of a large-scale military operation initiated after a deadly shooting attack the previous day. The demolitions occurred close to the site of the incident, with the military stating the goal was to enforce law and order while removing potential security threats.

The operation was triggered by an ambush at Yehuda Junction on Friday that killed two soldiers, St. Sgt. Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sgt. Yuval Shai Svilem. The Judea Brigade commands the counterterrorism campaign, supported by troops from the Duvdevan and Maglan units, the Paratroopers Brigade, Givati reconnaissance reservists, and the Border Police. The Shin Bet security agency provides intelligence guidance for the effort.

During the sweep, soldiers searched approximately 200 locations to rule out the presence of weapons and terrorist activity. Authorities arrested 10 suspects as part of the operation. The military assessment indicates that roughly 2,000 residents in the affected area belong to the Ja'aba clan. This clan is affiliated with Hamas and is the group from which the gunmen responsible for Friday's attack originated.

Central Command officials identified the attackers as Hamouda and Firas al-Ja'aba, both Hamas affiliates. The military stated the two men came directly from the Ein Dir-Baha neighborhood. On Friday evening, the military began evacuating the al-Jalda and Ein Dir-Baha neighborhoods. These densely populated districts in western Hebron lie within the city's Palestinian urban area.

Civilians who requested to leave were permitted to exit temporarily through designated checkpoints run by the Shin Bet and the IDF. Officials explained that evacuating residents allows security personnel to thoroughly search structures, family homes, and immediate surroundings for terrorist infrastructure, weapons, ammunition, explosives laboratories, and weapons caches. This process aims to avoid endangering civilians in an area known as a center for Hamas activity in Hebron.

A situational assessment is scheduled for Saturday to determine whether the operation will expand. Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Kobi Heller, commander of the IDF's West Bank Division, has broadened arrest operations and searches in the Nablus, Jenin, and Tulkarm areas, along with additional locations throughout Samaria. The expanded operations coincide with concerns over efforts by Hamas leadership abroad to orchestrate terrorist attacks ahead of upcoming elections.