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Israeli soldiers gather in the village of Turmus Ayya in the occupied West Bank on Oct. 19, 2026, after an alleged attack by Israeli settlers on a Palestinian house. (Credit: Ilia Yefimovich/AFP)
Add as preferred on Google Netanyahu announces 'major military operation' in the West Bank after 2 Israeli soldiers killed: Four days before parliamentary elections, the Israeli prime minister announced Friday an offensive on a scale not seen since the 1967 Six-Day War, following an attack in Hebron that also wounded three soldiers. The army has sealed off the city and plans to evacuate residents and conduct house-to-house searches amid rising tensions in the occupied Palestinian territory. Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right finance minister and a key figure in the government, called on X for a military campaign in the West Bank "like in Gaza and Lebanon," "to dismantle the Palestinian Authority, collect weapons and eliminate terrorists." For now, he has ordered the demolition of several so-called "illegal" Palestinian buildings... You have reached your article limitStay informed about a Middle East in crisis.Subscribe for $0.5/month for the first 3 months. Subscribe now Log in This article is only available to L’Orient Today subscribers. Subscribe now Log in Create a free account to continue reading this article. You’ll also receive The Morning Brief, our must-read daily digest of Middle East news. Opt out anytime Email Address Password Email Address Password I would like to receive special offers from L'Orient Today as well as selections of the best articles. Register By creating an account, you agree to the terms and conditions of use and our privacy policy. Register Or register with: Facebook
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