Hebron shooting kills 2; IDF probes AFP photographer's presence

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir praised soldiers from the Home Front Command's Ari Battalion who eliminated the two Palestinian terrorists in a shooting attack near Hebron on Friday morning. Two of the five people wounded in the attack later died of their injuries. "The soldiers' swift action prevented an even more serious attack and further harm to civilians and security forces," Zamir said during a situational assessment with the Judea Brigade.

Footage of the attack shows the terrorists preparing to open fire, returning to their vehicle to collect more weapons and ammunition, climbing over a fence and continuing to shoot.

Two of the other wounded were listed in moderate condition and one was lightly wounded. Both terrorists killed in the attack were identified as Hamas affiliates.

An AFP photographer at the scene documented the terrorists exchanging fire and reloading their weapons, as well as their bodies lying on the ground after they were killed. The IDF is expected to examine the photographer's account to determine whether he happened to be at the scene or had received advance information about the attack.

The two Hamas-affiliated terrorists were identified as Hamouda Wael Mohammed Jaaba, 27, and his relative Firas Samir Mohammed Jaaba, 27, both from Hebron. Both were married and had two children.

According to security officials, a large quantity of explosives and ammunition was found in the terrorists' vehicle. Investigators believe the attackers had intended to reach major roads and continue into Israel to carry out a larger attack against civilians, but encountered IDF troops on Route 35. Authorities are still investigating their intended destination and whether they acted independently or were directed by an outside organization.

An initial investigation found that the terrorists changed their intended target after arriving in the area, leaving their vehicle and opening fire. The close-range gunbattle lasted more than 20 minutes, during which the attackers used automatic weapons and took cover. Additional troops, including a deputy battalion commander from a neighboring sector, joined the fighting before soldiers flanked the terrorists and killed them.

The assessment following the shooting attack was also attended by the head of the IDF Central Command, the head of the Operations Directorate, the head of Military Intelligence and other senior commanders. Details presented during the assessment indicated that the terrorists were killed by the deputy commander of the Ari Battalion and a company commander who rushed to the scene.

During the assessment, Zamir approved Central Command's plans to impose a full cordon around Hebron and additional villages in the area, alongside intensified efforts to carry out further arrests and strengthen intelligence operations in the region.

Zamir also instructed the military to prepare to deploy additional troops to Central Command as required by operational needs.

"This was a serious terrorist attack," Zamir said. "The soldiers' swift action prevented an even more serious attack and further harm to civilians and security forces. A large quantity of ammunition was found in the vehicle the terrorists used to reach the scene, intended for a much larger-scale attack."

After the IDF announced that it had imposed a cordon around villages in the area, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed the IDF and security forces during a situational assessment "to immediately impose a cordon around Hebron and prepare for a full lockdown of all of Judea and Samaria beginning Friday."

Israeli forces subsequently imposed a full cordon around Hebron and Halhul, barring entry to and exit from both cities. Central Command also established checkpoints to prevent possible copycat attacks and introduced a security procedure known as "Gray Bolt," requiring checks of Palestinian vehicles entering major roads. The measures were extended to the Jenin, Nablus and Jericho sectors amid concerns about further attacks.

Security forces launched extensive searches, engineering operations and the mapping of the terrorists' homes. The two attackers belonged to the same extended family and lived near each other. Investigators are expected to arrest people connected to them and examine possible links to other individuals or organizations.

The attack came amid heightened tensions surrounding the olive harvest season and Israel's elections. Security officials have been preparing for possible additional attacks ahead of the vote.

As part of the preparations, the IDF reinforced several sectors with additional troops, including paratroopers and soldiers from the Nahal Reconnaissance Unit, and deployed eight additional companies. Security officials are concerned about possible attacks both within Judea and Samaria and against targets inside Israel.

Magen David Adom (MDA) medics and paramedics, working alongside an IDF medical team, treated the wounded and evacuated them to Shaare Zedek and Hadassah Ein Kerem hospitals in Jerusalem.

Tzuriel Edri, an MDA emergency medical technician who arrived at the scene, described the situation: "We arrived at a difficult scene while gunfire was still ongoing. We entered in a bulletproof ambulance and immediately began helping evacuate the wounded."

Ofer Ohana, a well-known local medical responder, filmed the exchange of fire and could be heard shouting: "The terrorist keeps shooting. The exchange of fire between the terrorist and our forces is continuing. We can't get the wounded out! There's been active gunfire for more than 20 minutes!"

The IDF has raised its alert level twice over the past month, first around the anniversary of the October 7 attacks and again this week. On Monday, the IDF spokesperson announced that following a situational assessment conducted by Zamir, the military had decided to suspend leave across all units beginning Thursday.

Need for additional troops for home front missions

The Home Front Command's Ari Battalion (775), the fifth battalion in the Search and Rescue Brigade, was established over the past year to bolster combat forces across operational sectors and provide additional troops for home front missions.

Shortly after its first company completed operational training, the battalion was placed on search-and-rescue alert during Operation Roaring Lion to support operations in northern Israel. The unit subsequently joined other brigade battalions operating under the IDF's Judea and Samaria Division.

The battalion began its first operational deployment this week after several months of specialized training.

The battalion's commander, Lt. Col. L., said Friday: "The battalion's soldiers acted professionally and were deployed effectively throughout the area as part of the effort to protect Israel's citizens. In their very first operational deployment, they demonstrated the importance of their mission and their operational readiness."

He added: "The soldiers maintained a high level of alertness and operational readiness, engaged the threat and acted with determination and speed to neutralize it, preventing harm to civilians and successfully completing their mission. We will continue to act responsibly and remain vigilant as part of the effort to protect Israel's citizens."