In brief
In Hebron, Israeli troops have razed homes in a sweeping crackdown following a shooting that killed two Israeli soldiers and injured three more. Local authorities estimate more than 200 families have been displaced as a result of the demolitions in the Ein Deir Baha and Farsh al‑Hawa neighbourhoods. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the operation in response to the attack, comparing it to past military actions in refugee camps and hinting at broader plans for the West Bank. The forcefully evicted residents were told to leave without vehicles, while homes were marked for tear‑down with spray paint. Amid an upcoming general election, the operation has sparked international calls for urgent action to halt the forced displacement of Palestinian communities.
The Israeli military has launched a sweeping crackdown in the occupied West Bank, demolishing homes and businesses in the city of Hebron and displacing hundreds of families, according to local officials.
Footage shared online showed destruction caused by Israeli bulldozers, with at least one whole street appearing to have been flattened. The military has also cordoned off the city, heavily restricting the movement of its 200,000 residents.
The operation was announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, in response to the killing of two Israeli soldiers by two Palestinian gunmen in an attack on a checkpoint. Three other Israeli soldiers were injured, and the gunmen were also killed.
Netanyahu said on Friday that buildings around the site of the attack and the neighbourhoods that the two gunmen were from would be "destroyed".
Hebron's Mayor Youssef al‑Jaabari said more than 1,000 people had been displaced by the operation which had been centred on the Ein Deir Baha and Farsh al‑Hawa neighbourhoods, and targeted homes, businesses, industrial sites and infrastructure.
He said dozens of families had been forced to spend the night outside, with some told to leave without taking their vehicles, while homes were marked for demolition with spray paint.
He added that he believed the military planned to displace a total of 2,500 people from about 0.35 sq km of urban land. The city's governor and deputy mayor meanwhile said at least 200 families had been displaced.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not respond immediately to the BBC's request for comment. It said in a statement on social media that it had dozens of targets across the West Bank and that its operations would last for several days.
In an interview with Israel's i24 television channel released on Saturday, he threatened "a very big surprise" for the Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs parts of the territory.
In a statement, the PA called for "urgent international action that went beyond condemnation" to prevent further forced displacement.
Meanwhile, his far‑right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for Israel to launch a campaign in the West Bank "exactly like in Gaza or Lebanon," while far‑right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for Israel to dismantle the PA.
Speaking to journalists, Hebron's mayor said the operation was "driven by the elections," and that Netanyahu and his ministers were attempting to secure the votes of the far‑right and the settlers.
