Netanyahu threatens West Bank operation unprecedented since 1967 war

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans for a large-scale military operation in the West Bank, marking the first of its kind since the 1967 war. The operation would target a neighborhood near Hebron where a recent attack occurred, resulting in the deaths of two Israeli soldiers and injuries to three others.

Netanyahu stated that Israeli forces would evacuate residents from the neighborhood, destroy their infrastructure, and dismantle any terrorist structures. Defense Minister Yisrael Katz affirmed that the model used in the Jenin refugee camp would be applied in Hebron, while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for a comprehensive military campaign targeting Palestinian security forces and weapons.

Palestinian officials have condemned the threats, with the Palestinian news agency WAFA reporting that Israeli forces had already begun demolishing structures near the attack site, though some residents disputed the connection between the demolished buildings and the attackers.