In brief
Hebron, a 200,000‑strong West Bank city, is being swept by Israeli bulldozers following a deadly checkpoint raid that killed two soldiers. IDF officials marked and razed homes deemed linked to the attack, forcing up to 1,000 families to flee overnight. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to "destroy all terrorist infrastructure" and hinted at a larger operation, all amid the political fallout of Israel’s looming election.
Hebron, a key West‑Bank city of 200,000, has been plunged into chaos as Israeli forces launched a full‑scale demolition operation following a deadly checkpoint attack that killed two soldiers. The IDF rolled out bulldozers that flattened entire streets, marking homes for “terrorist infrastructure” and forcing dozens of families to flee overnight.
Mayor Youssef al‑Jaabari told local media that the operation focused on the Ein Deir Baha and Farsh al‑Hawa neighbourhoods, citing that more than 1,000 people have been uprooted and that the military plans to evict an estimated 2,500 residents from 0.35 square kilometres of urban land. The PA has called for urgent international intervention beyond mere condemnation.
Netanyahu’s warnings – In a video posted from the scene, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to “evacuate the residents, go house to house, remove the weapons we find there, and deal with and destroy all terrorist infrastructure.” He also hinted at a larger operation that could mirror the 2025 campaign against refugee camps.
The timing is no coincidence: Israel’s general election is slated for next week, and far‑right ministers have been advocating for a hard‑line “campaign in the West Bank exactly like in Gaza or Lebanon.” These moves have inflamed tensions among settlers and Arab voters alike.
Eyewitness footage captured bulldozers tearing down brick walls while local residents shouted over the roar of the machines. The scene was compounded by police reports of gunmen across the city, with one AFP image depicting a soldier‑style attacker circulating online for alleged identification.
