Israeli Army Chief Says Swift Response Prevented Wider West Bank Assault

The Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, has said the soldiers who engaged two Palestinian gunmen in the southern occupied West Bank prevented what could have become a more devastating attack.

According to information obtained by OBGist, Zamir made the remarks during a security assessment with senior military officers after Friday's shooting incident near Hebron, where five Israelis sustained gunshot injuries. Israeli authorities said two of the victims were in critical condition.

Describing the attack as a serious security incident, the IDF chief praised the troops who responded, saying their actions helped stop further casualties.

"The troops' swift action prevented an even more serious attack and further harm to civilians and security forces," Zamir said.

The Israeli military said the two attackers arrived at the scene in a vehicle and were armed with an M16 assault rifle and a pistol. According to the IDF, both men were shot dead by the deputy commander of the Home Front Command's Ari Battalion and a company commander who responded immediately to the attack.

OBGist learnt that security personnel later searched the suspects' vehicle and recovered what the military described as a significant quantity of ammunition. Israeli officials said the discovery suggested the attackers may have intended to carry out a more extensive assault, although no independent evidence has been released publicly to confirm that assessment.

Following the incident, Zamir instructed military commanders to prepare for the possible deployment of additional troops to the IDF's Central Command should the security situation deteriorate further.

The shooting took place at Judea Junction along Route 35 in the southern West Bank, close to the city of Hebron. In the aftermath, Israeli security forces imposed restrictions and temporary closures on several Palestinian communities in the area, including Hebron, as part of ongoing security operations.

The occupied West Bank has witnessed a sustained rise in violence since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023. Israeli military operations, attacks by Palestinian armed groups and growing tensions between Israeli settlers and Palestinians have contributed to heightened instability across the territory.

Israeli authorities said investigations into Friday's attack are continuing, while security agencies remain on heightened alert for possible follow-up incidents. Palestinian authorities had not immediately issued an official statement on the shooting at the time of filing this report.