Key facts
- Israeli military launched a multi-day operation in the occupied West Bank on Friday.
- Two Israeli soldiers were killed by gunmen.
- Searches and building demolitions are part of the operation.
- Hamas praised the attack as "heroic" but did not claim responsibility.
Israel's military launched a major operation in the occupied West Bank on Friday, expected to last several days, following the killing of two Israeli soldiers by gunmen. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, campaigning for re-election on a security platform, ordered the operation and visited the scene of the attack. The military, in a joint statement with the Shin Bet domestic security agency, said forces were conducting searches, questioning suspects, and demolishing illegal structures in the Hebron area, from where the attackers reportedly emerged. Hamas praised the attack as "heroic" but did not claim responsibility. The operation is described as a model previously used in refugee camps, drawing criticism from Israeli rights group B'Tselem and concern from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.