The military said residents in areas where its forces are operating would be allowed to leave through three designated exit points. (Reuters photo) The Israeli military has launched what it described as a "limited counterterrorism" operation in the Hebron area of the occupied West Bank following a shooting attack that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded several others.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said on Friday that troops and other security forces had begun targeted searches to find and dismantle weapons and infrastructure linked to the attackers. They are also questioning suspects as part of the operation.

In a post on X, the IDF said, " In response to the shooting attack in which 2 IDF soldiers fell, and several others were wounded, the IDF along with other security forces launched a targeted & limited counterterrorism operation in the Hebron area, from which the terrorists had emerged." The military said residents in areas where its forces are operating would be allowed to leave through three designated exit points."

Following questioning and security screening. Individuals who raise suspicion during the screening process will be referred to security forces for further questioning," the IDF said.

Netanyahu orders West Bank lockdownIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Hebron earlier on Friday after ordering a "full lockdown" of the West Bank following the attack, which left five people wounded. The assault was carried out by alleged Hamas militants, according to Israeli authorities.

The incident comes just five days before Israel goes to the polls. Speaking during his visit, Netanyahu said the attackers had sought to harm Israelis ahead of the election, but soldiers had stopped them."

We spoke a few weeks ago about our enemies' attempts to harm us, our citizens and our soldiers ahead of the elections. That is what they tried to do here.

IDF soldiers stopped it with their bodies; some were wounded, and the soldiers not only stopped the terrorists but also fought back with courage and liquidated them." Netanyahu also announced plans for a wider security operation in the neighbourhood from which the attackers had emerged.

He said Israeli forces would remove residents, search homes and destroy weapons and what he described as terrorist infrastructure." We will first act to destroy this place and change it completely, but [we will] do something that has not been done until now.