Israel is preparing the largest military operation in the West Bank since 1967, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. According to him, the goal is to eliminate active armed groups and eliminate the infrastructure that Israeli authorities define as terrorist.
“We will evacuate residents, we will go from house to house, we will remove weapons from there and the entire terrorist infrastructure will be destroyed“, Netanyahu said.
The prime minister did not specify a date for the start of the operation. He said that the deadlines would be announced later, and the Israeli army is already preparing for the actions. The plan calls for the evacuation of residents, house searches and the seizure of weapons.
Shooting near Hebron before the statement
The statement was made after a shooting in the Hebron area of the West Bank. According to the publication of “Focus“ two soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces were killed and three were wounded. The attackers were eliminated, and the Israeli authorities have described the case as a terrorist act.
However, the data on the casualties differ in international publications. “The Washington Post“ reported five wounded in the attack, without confirming the deaths of soldiers. “The Times of Israel“ also reported five wounded and two killed attackers. The discrepancy in casualty figures remains unconfirmed in a single official report.
Israeli authorities have linked the attack to Hamas. The Times of Israel reported that the group described the shooting as "heroic" but did not officially claim responsibility.
Largest operation since 1967
Netanyahu described the planned operations as the largest operation in the West Bank since Israel established control of the territory in 1967. He did not specify which settlements would be included or how many residents might be evacuated.
According to the Times of Israel, the Israeli prime minister has also ordered preparations for a complete closure of the West Bank following the shooting near Hebron. The media outlet also reported that Israeli forces have launched operations in the area and are searching the homes of the two attackers.
No timetable for the operation has been announced yet, nor have any details about its scope been announced. It has been confirmed that the Israeli military leadership is preparing operations, and the decision to launch them will be made by the political leadership.
Sources: focus-news.net, timesofisrael.com, washingtonpost.com