SAFA — Israeli occupation forces stormed the city of Hebron (al-Khalil) in the southern occupied West Bank on Friday, raiding Palestinian homes and imposing a sweeping military lockdown on the city and surrounding towns following a shooting operation targeting an Israeli military checkpoint at the entrance to Farsh al-Hawa.

Initial reports indicated that two Israeli soldiers were killed and three others wounded in the attack, while the two Palestinians who carried it out were shot and killed by Israeli forces. Subsequent Israeli reports stated that six soldiers had been wounded, two of them critically.

Israeli forces closed the entrances to Hebron and roads leading into the city, tightened restrictions at surrounding military checkpoints, and deployed large numbers of military vehicles throughout the area, severely disrupting Palestinian movement between the city and neighboring towns and villages.

The closures included the Halhul checkpoint north of Hebron, the Wadi al-Samen checkpoint to the south, the al-Fahs checkpoint southeast of the city, and the al-Masaneh checkpoint in the western town of Tarqumiya.

The restrictions disrupted civilian movement, prevented residents from traveling freely between communities, and affected commercial activity throughout the area.

Meanwhile, Israeli military vehicles entered the Ein Deir Baha area west of Hebron, where soldiers raided Palestinian homes, conducted searches, and questioned members of the al-Jaaba family, to which the two Palestinians who carried out the shooting belonged, according to local sources.

The Israeli military announced that its forces were conducting operations in Hebron and surrounding areas, including searches of the homes of the two Palestinians involved in the attack and other individuals suspected of having connections to it.

The military also reinforced its presence around the city and imposed a security cordon as operations continued.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed security agencies to impose a military cordon around Hebron and prepare for a possible complete closure of the occupied West Bank following the shooting, a move that could further restrict Palestinian movement between cities, towns, and villages.

Hamas Responds to Hebron Shooting

In a statement issued Friday, the Hamas Movement praised the shooting operation near the northern entrance to Hebron, describing it as an expression of Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation.

The movement mourned the two Palestinians killed during the armed confrontation with Israeli soldiers and said the operation came in response to continuing Israeli military raids and attacks in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, as well as Israel's ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas maintained that Palestinian resistance would continue until Israeli military operations ended and the occupation of Palestinian territory was brought to an end.

The movement also called for widespread mobilization across Palestinian cities, towns, and refugee camps in the occupied West Bank in response to Israeli military operations and settler attacks.

Six Israeli Soldiers Reportedly Wounded

According to Israeli media reports, six Israeli soldiers were wounded Friday morning in a shooting targeting Israeli forces northwest of Hebron, with two reported to be in critical condition.

Israeli sources said the shooting targeted a military watchtower near the illegal Israeli settlement of Telem.

Israeli forces subsequently shot and killed the two Palestinians identified as responsible for the operation.

The incident was followed by intensified military deployments, road closures, and raids across Hebron and surrounding communities, further restricting the movement of Palestinian residents.

These developments come amid escalating Israeli military operations and settler attacks throughout the occupied West Bank, where checkpoints, road closures, and repeated raids continue to disrupt Palestinian daily life and access to neighboring communities.