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The Israeli army has forced dozens of Palestinians from their homes and detained many others in and around the occupied West Bank city of Hebron since yesterday evening, in raids that continued overnight with military vehicles and bulldozers, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA and local sources.

The army announced a "wide-scale military operation" in Hebron, sealed the city and the nearby town of Halhul, and said the activity could last several more days. Local authorities declared an emergency plan for displaced families, while schools and universities were kept closed.

Overnight raids and forced removals

Israeli forces stepped up their presence in Hebron overnight, moving through the city with military vehicles and construction equipment, WAFA reported, citing security sources. Troops raided and searched homes in the Deyr Bahha, Jalda Junction and Nemre areas.

Local sources told WAFA that soldiers surrounded the Jalda and Deyr Bahha areas before dawn and forced dozens of Palestinians to leave their homes. They reported wide-scale detentions across the area, adding that some of those held were released after being questioned in the field.

The sources said Azzam Selheb, a former member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, and the journalist Musab Kafishe were detained during raids on their homes in Hebron. Middle East Eye wrote on the social media platform X that the army had delivered evacuation notices to more than 400 Palestinian families in the city, leaving thousands of people in the streets.

Army announces wide-scale operation

In a written statement, the Israeli army said it had begun a "wide-scale military operation" in Hebron. It said attacks would be intensified in the area where Palestinians involved in a clash yesterday were located, and that military activity would continue for several more days. Palestinians in the operation zone would be allowed to leave through three designated points after being searched and questioned, the statement said. It added that the raids were carried out with the domestic intelligence service Shin Bet, the border police and the civil administration.

Eyewitnesses said the army entered Hebron with 20 military vehicles and fired flare signals. The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth and the Walla website reported that Hebron and Halhul were placed under a military cordon, with entry and exit banned, and that the restrictions ran alongside searches and house raids. Israel's Channel 13 reported that army units and border police raided Hebron and surrounding villages and carried out mass detentions.

Yedioth Ahronoth, citing military officials, reported that preparations for demolition had begun at the homes of Palestinians suspected of involvement in the incident, and that suspects were being questioned. Israel Hayom reported that Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir had announced the military presence in Hebron would be reinforced, including the deployment of the 98th Division to the area.

Emergency plan for displaced families

WAFA reported that the Israeli army closed the entrances to Hebron city as well as to villages, towns and refugee camps across the governorate. Hebron Governor Khalid Dudin and Mayor Yousuf al-Jaberi announced an emergency plan to assist families forced out of their homes and residents stranded at the entrances to their towns.

Educational institutions, including universities, were to remain closed during the operation. The transport union asked residents not to take to the roads in order to protect them from danger at the military checkpoints set up across the governorate.

Demolitions and raids across the Hebron area

Israeli forces demolished a residential building containing three apartments in the Farsh al-Hawa area west of Hebron yesterday, WAFA reported. They also closed the area's main entrance, the only link between it and the bypass road, blocking both vehicles and pedestrians.

Local sources said a ceramic company, a car spare parts shop and other businesses in the same area were demolished and damaged last evening, and that roughly seven dunams of land were razed by bulldozers.

Soldiers also raided the town of Beit Ummar north of Hebron yesterday evening. Witnesses said heavy use of tear gas affected a large number of Palestinians. Israeli forces entered Fawwar refugee camp south of Hebron, forced shops near the camp entrance to close and restricted residents' movement.

This morning, Israelis who seized Palestinian land attacked Palestinians working in prickly pear fields in Hirbet Suba west of Hebron, local sources said. Some workers were injured, and Israeli forces prevented an ambulance from reaching them.

Checkpoint clash preceded the crackdown

A clash at a checkpoint in Hebron yesterday morning left two Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers dead. The army closed all entrances and exits to the city and surrounding villages after the incident.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to expel the residents of the neighborhood where the two Palestinians who fought Israeli soldiers had lived, and to demolish their homes. Netanyahu said Israel would carry out "comprehensive attacks" in the West Bank. Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said the neighborhoods of the Palestinians involved in the Hebron clash would be completely emptied and demolished.

Netanyahu also ordered the immediate closure of access to Hebron, the start of preparations for a full blockade across the occupied West Bank and the taking of additional security measures.

Key takeaways

• Dozens of Palestinians were forced from their homes in Hebron since yesterday evening, and mass detentions were carried out across the area, according to WAFA and local sources.
• Middle East Eye reported that evacuation notices were delivered to more than 400 Palestinian families, leaving thousands in the streets.
• The army announced a "wide-scale military operation" and placed Hebron and Halhul under a military cordon with entry and exit banned.
• A checkpoint clash yesterday morning left two Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers dead, prompting threats of home demolitions and expulsions from Netanyahu and Katz.