Jerusalem, 23 October, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that Israeli forces thwarted a planned large-scale terrorist attack against civilians after uncovering large quantities of weapons and ammunition following a shooting attack at a Mount Hebron junction.
“Our brave soldiers thwarted this attack with courage and determination,” Netanyahu said after a security assessment with Defense Minister Israel Katz and other senior security officials.
Netanyahu said he had instructed the military and security forces to immediately cordon off Hebron and implement additional measures to prevent attacks originating from Judea and Samaria.
“Our forces are operating with reinforcements to thwart terrorism and are carrying out extensive waves of arrests,” he said. “We will pursue Hamas terrorists and those who sent them, wherever they are and at all times.”
The prime minister added, “You have nowhere to hide.”
The announcement followed a shooting attack Friday morning at the Yehuda Junction in the Mount Hebron region, in which five Israelis were injured and two Palestinian gunmen were killed by responding soldiers.
A combat soldier involved in the exchange of fire described how one of the gunmen struck his helmet with a bullet as troops returned fire.
“At one point, when I popped up, he hit my helmet. I ducked my head,” the soldier told The Press Service of Israel (TPS-IL). “We heard a few rounds being fired nearby. We immediately took cover behind the concrete barrier.”
The soldier also recounted helping a fellow soldier who began to panic during the shooting.
“The guy next to me started having a bit of a panic attack. I began calming him down while we kept returning fire,” he said.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), one of the gunmen arrived at the junction in a vehicle bearing Israeli license plates before opening fire on soldiers. Two attackers were killed by troops responding to the shooting.
The five wounded Israelis were evacuated to hospitals in the Jerusalem area. Two were in critical condition, two in moderate condition, and one sustained mild injuries.
Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar! party, also issued a statement expressing support for the wounded and the security forces.
“Together with the entire nation of Israel, I pray for the full and speedy recovery of those wounded in the attack,” Eisenkot said.
Israeli security officials are weighing a full curfew across Judea and Samaria, while Netanyahu has instructed security forces to encircle Hebron and prepare for a possible broader closure ahead of Israel’s elections on Monday.
