Israel has begun demolition of residential neighborhoods in Hebron following the deaths of two soldiers at a checkpoint

The Israeli military has begun demolishing residential blocks in Hebron in the West Bank after two Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers were killed in a militant attack on a local checkpoint.

Immediately after the armed incident, the IDF command announced a complete blockade of Hebron, home to 200,000 people. The defense establishment reported that a large amount of ammunition was found in the attackers' car, which, according to the army, was intended for a much larger terrorist attack.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initially stated that he had ordered the complete closure of the entire West Bank, but later clarified that the authorities were only considering the option of extending restrictions beyond Hebron. The head of the Israeli government also announced the forced evacuation of residents in the area of the attacked checkpoint, similar to the forced relocation of the Jenin and Nur Shams refugee camps in 2025, when thousands of Palestinians left their homes.

Israeli units began demolishing buildings on the morning of October 23. Video footage from the scene obtained by journalists shows a soldier giving the occupants of one of the complexes five minutes to pack up and evacuate. The security operation comes ahead of parliamentary elections in Israel scheduled for October 27, prior to which Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling Likud party, according to polls, trails slightly behind its main political rival, the Yashar party.