The Israeli military raided 400 sites across the occupied West Bank and detained dozens of Palestinians after a checkpoint incident on Friday near Hebron.
Official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that troops took over homes in the Khallat Manna and Dahiyat al-Zaytoun areas of southern Hebron, using them as military barracks. Forces also forced residents out of their homes in other neighbourhoods to convert the buildings into observation posts. The army stated that the operation could last several days.
Military activities involve house searches, interrogations, and efforts to locate weapons and infrastructure. The sweep was launched after two Palestinians attacked an Israeli checkpoint near Hebron and Halhul.
Two Israeli soldiers were killed and three others were wounded in the attack, and Israeli forces killed both attackers at the scene.
Following the incident, Israeli forces sealed off Hebron and nearby Halhul. Near Bethlehem, troops blocked dirt roads leading to the town of Tuqu.
Palestinian security sources told Wafa that soldiers fired tear gas and stun grenades at vehicles travelling along rough alternative routes. Closures across Bethlehem and surrounding villages have left residents heavily dependent on unpaved roads to travel between communities.
The occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem have experienced escalating military attacks and violence since the start of the war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023.
Actions include the killing and detaining of Palestinians, the demolition of homes and structures, and the burning of mosques and vehicles. Forces have also bulldozed farmland, prevented farmers from accessing their fields, displaced communities, and advanced illegal settlement expansion.
