Netanyahu says Israel is preparing its largest West Bank operation since 1967.
Why it matters: The proposed operation could intensify regional tensions and create new legal and humanitarian risks. Any evacuations, demolitions or movement restrictions would draw scrutiny under international humanitarian law.
- Two Israeli soldiers were killed in the October 23, 2026 attack near Hebron, according to the Associated Press.
- The Israel Defense Forces, or IDF, said two suspected Palestinian attackers were also killed; AP did not independently establish that identification.
- Netanyahu said the IDF would determine the timing of an operation broader than previous West Bank actions.
- UN reporting says more than 33,000 Palestinians were displaced from three northern West Bank camps and surrounding areas since January 2025.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is preparing an extensive military operation in the West Bank. He said the action could be broader than any previous West Bank operation since Israel captured the territory in 1967.
"The IDF is prepared to carry it out, and we will determine the timing, but it is on the way," Netanyahu said during a visit to Hebron, according to the Israeli government statement.
The warning followed a shooting near Hebron on October 23, 2026. The Associated Press reported that two Israeli soldiers were killed. The IDF said two suspected Palestinian attackers from Hebron were also killed. That identification was not independently established in the available reporting.
Netanyahu said Israel would restrict movement in and around Hebron and nearby Halhul. He also said residents of the neighborhood where the alleged attackers lived would be evacuated while forces searched homes, removed weapons and destroyed what he described as militant-related facilities, according to the government release.
Netanyahu separately said Israel could apply the approach to other West Bank cities, accelerate demolitions along roads officials say threaten troops, and expand and formalize settlements and settlement outposts, which are sites officials describe as requiring formal recognition, according to the same release.
The military imposed heightened restrictions around Hebron. ITV News reported on October 23, 2026 that troops were preparing for a possible full closure of the West Bank.
The proposed measures face legal and humanitarian scrutiny. The International Court of Justice's 2024 opinion was advisory, addressing Israel's presence, settlement expansion and annexation in the occupied territory; it did not by itself resolve the legality of any future evacuation or demolition. The legality of those actions would depend on their specific circumstances. The Fourth Geneva Convention restricts forced transfers and property destruction in occupied territory, subject to narrowly defined conditions, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The operation had not fully begun in the available reporting. Its size, duration, casualty toll and displacement impact remained unsettled.
By the numbers
- 2 - Israeli soldiers reported killed in the October 23, 2026 attack near Hebron
- 2 - Palestinians the IDF said it killed and identified as suspected attackers
- More than 33,000 - Palestinians UN reporting says were displaced from three northern West Bank camps and surrounding areas since January 2025
Yes, but: The operation had not fully begun in the available reporting, and the identification of the two dead Palestinians as attackers came from the IDF rather than independent verification. The legal consequences of any evacuation or demolition would depend on the facts and implementation.
What's next: Watch for an announced operation order, new movement restrictions, evacuation notices, demolitions, casualties and additional displacement. The IDF's timing decision remains pending.