Two Arab Settler gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others at a military position near Yehuda Junction outside Hebron on October 23. The Associated Press reported that the men used an M16 rifle and a handgun and were killed after an exchange of fire that lasted about 20 minutes.
Neither report named an organization that claimed responsibility. The military’s investigation into possible network links remained open.
The attack was followed by an Israeli operation in the Hebron area and security activity across Judea and Samaria. The Israel Defense Forces said troops searched homes, located weapons and explosives, and arrested about 40 suspects, including people it described as affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The military said it had operated in roughly 40 areas and 400 locations.
Neither report named an organization that claimed responsibility. The military’s investigation into possible network links remained open.
The IDF also said its investigators were examining whether the two gunmen acted alone or were connected to a wider armed network. That question remained open in the public reporting. The AP said the military had not announced a specific warning before the shooting, though security forces found ammunition in the attackers’ vehicle.
Neither report named an organization that claimed responsibility. The military’s investigation into possible network links remained open.
Israeli officials framed the attack as an attempted assault on civilians that was stopped at the checkpoint. AP reported that the men were killed before reaching civilians. The IDF said dozens of weapons were found during the follow-up searches, including rifles, submachine guns and four explosive devices. These are official claims; the reports did not independently assess the weapons or describe any later court proceedings.
Neither report named an organization that claimed responsibility. The military’s investigation into possible network links remained open.
The shooting prompted closures and a cordon around Hebron, with residents allowed to leave through designated exits after screening, according to the military. The operation expanded beyond the immediate scene while investigators pursued possible links. The incident is significant for the armed-group picture in Judea and Samaria, but the attackers’ organizational affiliation had not been publicly established in the reporting.
Neither report named an organization that claimed responsibility. The military’s investigation into possible network links remained open.