Hebron homes destroyed in army sweep four days before vote

Israeli military forces launched a large scale operation in Hebron, a city in the occupied West Bank with a population of 200,000. The move follows the killing of two Israeli soldiers by Palestinian gunmen at a checkpoint on Friday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the campaign after the attack, which also left three soldiers wounded.

Local officials report that at least 200 families have been displaced. Mayor Youssef al-Jaabari estimates the operation targets 2,500 residents across roughly 0.35 square kilometers of urban land. The army has sealed off the city, limiting movement for residents. Footage from the scene shows at least one entire street leveled by bulldozers.

The destruction is concentrated in the Ein Deir Baha and Farsh al-Hawa neighborhoods. Al-Jaabari said the forces hit homes, businesses, industrial sites, and infrastructure. He noted that dozens of families were forced to spend the night outdoors. Some residents were told to leave without their vehicles. Houses were marked for demolition with spray paint before the structures were razed.

Netanyahu traveled to Hebron on Friday wearing protective armor. He posted a video from the scene in which he said the army would evacuate residents and go house to house to remove weapons. He stated that the military would destroy all terrorist infrastructure. The operation comes four days before Israel's general election.

The prime minister cancelled his party's campaign events for Friday morning. He compared the current operation to campaigns in northern refugee camps in 2025, where thousands were displaced. He also mentioned reviewing plans for the largest West Bank operation since 1967, without setting a date. In an interview with i24 television on Saturday, he threatened a very big surprise for the Palestinian Authority.

Rights groups have criticized the practice of demolishing homes of suspected attackers as collective punishment. The Palestinian Authority called for urgent international action to prevent further forced displacement. Within the Israeli cabinet, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged a campaign similar to those in Gaza and Lebanon. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority.

Al-Jaabari told journalists that the operation is driven by the upcoming election. He said Netanyahu and his ministers are attempting to secure votes from the far right and settlers. The Israel Defense Forces stated on social media that it has dozens of targets across the West Bank and that operations will continue for several days.