IDF Levels Hebron Blocks, Displacing 2,500 Residents

The Israel Defense Forces began a large-scale demolition campaign in Hebron on Friday, displacing hundreds of families and sealing off the West Bank city. The operation follows an attack on a military checkpoint where two Israeli soldiers were killed and three others were wounded. Both Palestinian gunmen involved in the shooting were killed in the exchange.

Local officials estimate that 2,500 residents will be displaced from an area of roughly 0.35 square kilometers. Hebron Mayor Youssef al-Jaabari stated that the sweep is concentrated in the Ein Deir Baha and Farsh al-Hawa neighborhoods. He reported that dozens of families were forced to spend the night outdoors, with some ordered to leave without their vehicles. Spray paint was used to mark houses for demolition.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the operation on social media, describing the targeted areas as terrorist infrastructure. He said forces would move house to house to remove weapons and destroy buildings near the attack site. Netanyahu canceled his party's campaign events for Friday morning and traveled to Hebron wearing protective armor to oversee the initial phase of the operation.

The timing of the sweep coincides with the Israeli general election scheduled for Monday. Al-Jaabari told journalists that the military action was driven by the upcoming vote. He argued that Netanyahu and his ministers were seeking to secure the support of the far right and settler populations. The mayor described the operation as a strategic move to influence the electorate.

The Israeli government has framed the action as a continuation of its security campaign. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for a West Bank operation similar to those conducted in Gaza and Lebanon. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir urged the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority. The PA, which governs parts of the territory, called for urgent international action to prevent further forced displacement.

Netanyahu said he had reviewed plans for the largest military operation in the West Bank since 1967, though he did not specify a timeline. He threatened a significant surprise for the Palestinian Authority in a television interview released on Saturday. It remains unclear if the current Hebron sweep is a preliminary step toward that larger campaign.

The IDF stated that it has dozens of targets across the West Bank and that operations would continue for several days. The army did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the specific scale of the Hebron demolition drive. Footage from the scene shows entire streets leveled by bulldozers.