Israel Demolishes Hebron Buildings After 2 Soldiers Killed, Evacuating Residents

Q: What larger assault were the Hebron gunmen secretly planning before the deadly checkpoint shootout?

Israeli officials said the gunmen appeared to be planning a larger attack against civilians, but they did not publicly establish a precise final target. What is known from the reporting is that the attackers’ vehicle contained a large quantity of ammunition, and some reports also said explosives were found. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said the stockpile was meant for an attack “on a much larger scale.” Israeli media and officials cited in the coverage said investigators believe the pair likely intended to move past the checkpoint area, reach the busy Route 35 corridor, and continue toward civilian targets, possibly inside Israel, before they were intercepted. Officials’ reconstruction suggests the men may have changed plans when they encountered the military position near Hebron and then opened fire there instead. The army said the quick response by soldiers prevented what it described as a more serious assault with potentially higher civilian casualties. So, the larger assault was not fully detailed publicly, but Israeli authorities say the gunmen were likely headed for a broader, mass-casualty attack beyond the checkpoint, probably along Route 35 and possibly against Israeli civilians.

3 articles · Updated · CNN International · Oct 23

Israeli forces began demolishing buildings in Hebron’s Farsh al-Hawa area on Friday and ordered residents out, hours after two Palestinian gunmen killed two soldiers at a military checkpoint.
Three more soldiers were lightly wounded in the attack, and the IDF said the assailants were later killed after a firefight that lasted at least 20 minutes; a vehicle linked to them was found with a large quantity of ammunition.
The military and Shin Bet said a days-long operation is now focused on the neighborhood the gunmen came from, with house-to-house searches, roadblocks, suspect questioning and three controlled exit points for residents.
Netanyahu first announced a full West Bank closure, then narrowed it to a possible cordon around Hebron and Halhul, while saying the area would be “transformed” using tactics previously deployed in northern West Bank camps.
The move comes four days before Israel’s first election since the October 7, 2023 attack, drawing condemnation from B’Tselem, which said the plan would forcibly displace Palestinians.