Israel Launches Major Operation in Judea and Samaria After Jerusalem Terror Attack

by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff

JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a large-scale brigade operation across Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank, on Monday following a deadly terrorist shooting at Jerusalem’s Ramot Junction that killed six people and wounded 21 others.

Military officials said the Menashe Brigade, supported by Border Police, was deployed overnight to several hotspots of terrorist activity, including the Marj Sanur Valley, the Fara’a refugee camp, and Kabatiya. The crackdown aims both to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and to capture those responsible for the morning assault in the capital.

According to Palestinian reports, one of the attackers was identified as 20-year-old Muthna Omar, whose father had been arrested during a recent IDF raid. Israeli media named the second assailant as Muhammed Taha, with both men reportedly from a Palestinian village in the Ramallah area. Israeli outlet Walla reported that one of the two had been detained and investigated by police just three months ago before being released.

Reservists from the elite Duvdevan Unit, acting on intelligence provided by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), also arrested another suspect on Sunday night accused of planning additional terror plots. Security forces said they confiscated tens of thousands of shekels in terror funds along with weapons during the raids.

Following the Jerusalem shooting, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir ordered reinforcements into Judea and Samaria and the encirclement of villages linked to the attackers. Zamir also convened a high-level security assessment, emphasizing that although Gaza remains the central front, events in Judea and Samaria demand immediate attention.

The IDF said a scheduled ceremony for outstanding soldiers on Monday evening was postponed due to “operational developments on the various fronts.”

Emergency services confirmed that six civilians were killed in the attack at Ramot Junction, with 21 others hospitalized for gunshot wounds at Shaare Zedek Medical Center and Hadassah-University Medical Centers in Ein Kerem and Mount Scopus. Paramedics treated an additional 26 people at the scene for anxiety.

“The IDF will continue to dismantle terrorist infrastructure wherever it exists,” the army said in a statement as operations continued in and around Ramallah.

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