Signs of fraying loyalty emerge in Netanyahu stronghold before Israeli election

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced a major military operation in the occupied West Bank following an attack near Hebron that killed two Israeli soldiers. According to Free Malaysia Today, Netanyahu and his right-wing allies visited the scene of the attack to pledge a harder line on West Bank militancy, promising operations that would involve searching homes, destroying terrorist infrastructure, and displacing residents in Hebron.

RTE News reports that Netanyahu cancelled campaign events to travel to Hebron, ordered the city sealed off, and told the army to prepare a lockdown of the entire West Bank. He has promised a broad IDF operation in Judea and Samaria on a scale unseen since 1967.

The military action comes days before Israeli elections, where security has been a central focus. Haaretz reports that with four days until Election Day, final TV polls show Gadi Eisenkot's bloc ahead with a projection of 52-56 seats, while Netanyahu's bloc is projected for 50 seats. Arab-majority parties were projected to receive 14-16 seats. While Kiryat Shmona has long been a stronghold for Netanyahu's Likud party, PBS NewsHour reports that its loyalty is no longer considered ironclad.

Brief written by urgent.news from PBS NewsHour, Free Malaysia Today, RTE News, Haaretz — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.