Israeli army raids 400 West Bank sites, detains dozens

Home seizures in Hebron

Israeli forces turned Palestinian residences into military barracks and observation posts in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron on Saturday, forcibly displacing hundreds of families during the second day of a large-scale security operation, according to Palestinian media. Troops occupied properties in the Khallat Manna and Dahiyat al-Zaytoun neighborhoods to establish tactical positions, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported, citing local sources. Residents were ordered to vacate their homes in additional districts as the military repurposed civilian buildings for surveillance operations.

Movement restrictions in Bethlehem

Near Bethlehem, Israeli troops obstructed unpaved access routes to the town of Tuqu and deployed tear gas and stun grenades against Palestinian vehicles utilizing rough alternative paths, Palestinian security sources told Wafa. The closures forced residents to rely on makeshift tracks to travel between communities across Bethlehem and surrounding villages, the agency noted.

Operation enters second day

The Israeli army sealed off Hebron and nearby Halhul on Friday following a checkpoint attack that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others; Israeli forces killed both Palestinian assailants, according to Israeli figures. Military officials announced the operation could extend for several days, involving house-to-house searches, interrogations, and efforts to locate weapons and what they described as "terrorist infrastructure."

The occupied West Bank has witnessed escalating Israeli military raids and settler violence since October 2023, including killings, mass detentions, home demolitions, mosque burnings, and the bulldozing of agricultural land. Palestinian communities have faced repeated displacement alongside illegal settlement expansion throughout the territory.