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Akbar Novruz

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened a large-scale military operation in the occupied West Bank following an attack that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others near Hebron, according to Reuters.

The warning comes just three days before Israel's parliamentary elections, with Netanyahu facing a closely contested political race amid declining public support.

According to the Israeli military, Palestinian militants carried out the attack near Hebron, killing two soldiers and injuring three others.

The incident occurred against a backdrop of heightened tensions in the West Bank, including reports of increasing attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities.

Netanyahu visited the site of the attack and announced plans for an extensive military response, indicating that Israeli forces would conduct operations similar to those carried out in Palestinian areas during 2025.

"We will evacuate the residents, search the homes, confiscate weapons, and destroy all terrorist infrastructure," Netanyahu said.

His remarks suggested that the proposed operation could involve the displacement of Palestinian residents, house searches and the destruction of infrastructure that Israeli authorities identify as being linked to militant activity.

According to Reuters, Israeli bulldozers began demolishing nearby homes shortly after the prime minister's announcement.

Local Palestinian residents told the news agency that the demolished properties had no connection to those responsible for the attack.

Previous operations displaced tens of thousands

The latest developments have revived concerns over the humanitarian consequences of Israeli military operations in the West Bank.

In 2025, Israeli forces conducted major raids on two Palestinian refugee camps, resulting in the displacement of tens of thousands of residents.

Human Rights Watch characterised aspects of those operations as war crimes, an assessment rejected by Israeli authorities.

The organisation's findings raised concerns about the displacement of civilians and the destruction of residential areas during military operations.

Israeli officials, however, have maintained that their actions were necessary to address security threats and dismantle militant infrastructure.

The latest threatened offensive has prompted renewed attention to the potential impact on Palestinian civilians, particularly given Netanyahu's stated intention to evacuate residents and search homes.

Election approaches amid political pressure

Netanyahu's announcement comes at a politically sensitive moment, with Israelis scheduled to vote in parliamentary elections on Tuesday.

The prime minister leads a right-wing governing coalition and has faced declining support in opinion polls ahead of the vote.

His government's handling of security issues, military operations and relations with the Palestinians remains a prominent issue in the election campaign.

Some Jewish diaspora organisations, including groups based in Western countries, have also publicly opposed Netanyahu's re-election.

The latest military developments have added another dimension to the final days of campaigning, as the government weighs its response to the killing of Israeli soldiers against concerns about further escalation in the occupied West Bank.

The scope and duration of any new Israeli offensive have not yet been specified.