EXCLUSIVE: The man who stopped the terror attack this morning tells @Eliya_aviv it took OVER THIRTY MINUTES of fighting to prevent a massive atrocity.
"We essentially closed in on the terrorists from two directions until the deputy commander and his unit eliminated them." https://t.co/ib14isa1yt
— C14 News | EN (@c14english) October 23, 2026
As part of Operation “Roar of Judea” to counter terrorism in the Hebron area, Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered Saturday evening that more than 2,000 so-called ‘Palestinian’ residents evacuated from the neighborhood where the attackers came from—members of the al-Ja’abah clan identified with Hamas—will not be allowed to return to their homes until the complete elimination of the terror organization’s infrastructure throughout the entire city.
2+In closed security discussions, the defense minister clarified the operational shift and declared that the Jenin terror camp model is operating inside Hebron, and the neighborhood will remain evacuated until Hamas infrastructure throughout all of Hebron is dealt with. The statement aligns with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks at the attack scene, where he arrived alongside the defense minister and made clear that Israeli forces will act with uncompromising determination: “We will evacuate the residents, go house by house, remove the weapons, and all terror infrastructure will be dealt with and destroyed.”
The focused operation was launched following the deadly attack that occurred Friday morning on Route 35 at Judea Junction, where Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman, 23, from Ashkelon, and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem, 20, from Hod Hasharon, were killed, while three additional soldiers were lightly wounded. The two terrorists, Hamoudah and Firas al-Ja’abah, both 27 from Hebron, arrived at the junction by vehicle and opened fire on the soldiers.
2+A firefight developed at the scene that lasted more than 20 minutes, until additional forces called to the area, including the deputy battalion commander of the Ari Battalion and a company commander, executed a precise flanking maneuver and eliminated both terrorists. An M16 rifle, a pistol, and large quantities of ammunition were found in their vehicle, and security officials estimate that the soldiers’ quick action thwarted a mass murder spree against Israeli civilians.
Hallel Bitton Rosen with exclusive footage from the terror attack this morning at Judea Junction 👇@BittonRosen
— C14 News | EN (@c14english) October 23, 2026
Following the engagement, IDF forces, the Shin Bet, Border Police units in Judea and Samaria, and the Judea District Police, under the command of the Judea Brigade, launched extensive offensive operations in locations identified with the clan to which the terrorists belonged. Israeli forces imposed a tight cordon on the Hebron and Halhul area, raided dozens of targets, arrested about 20 suspects, and began mapping the terrorists’ homes in preparation for their demolition. Simultaneously, residents’ movement was restricted to three dedicated checkpoints only, where meticulous security interrogations and arrests are being conducted.
2+The Hebron operation is part of a broad offensive wave conducted by security forces throughout the weekend across Judea and Samaria. As part of this, IDF soldiers, Border Police, and the Shin Bet raided approximately 400 locations in about 40 different villages, focusing on Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets, and arrested about 40 suspects for terrorist activity, incitement, and violent disturbances.
In the Etzion Brigade sector, Israeli forces launched a special brigade-level operation that included a simultaneous raid on more than 70 locations in over ten villages, during which Hamas operatives and suspects in planting explosive devices and advancing attacks were arrested. Simultaneously, in the Samaria and Menashe brigades, soldiers worked to demolish monuments erected in memory of terrorists who murdered Israeli civilians.
In Samaria, two suspects who attacked Israeli civilians in the village of Burin were arrested, and in the village of Silat ad-Dhahr, hunting weapons used for hostile activity were found. Offensive activity was also recorded in the Binyamin Brigade sector, where forces raided about 15 villages and arrested Hamas terrorists and rioters, while Ephraim Brigade soldiers conducted extensive searches for combat equipment and dozens of field interrogations.
Security officials emphasize that the IDF prepared in advance for the possibility of broad escalation in the arena, reinforced its forces, and also activated the 98th Division headquarters, as Israeli forces will continue proactive and offensive operations in all sectors to uproot terror nests and protect Israeli citizens.