Israel preparing 'full closure' of West Bank, Netanyahu says

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli government was preparing to close down the occupied West Bank after gunmen attacked Israeli soldiers on Friday morning.

Netanyahu said Israeli military prevented a "major attack" after soldiers killed two gunmen in a firefight at a checkpoint near the West Bank city of Hebron.

At least five people were wounded in the attack, several critically.

"I commend our heroic fighters, who acted resolutely and prevented a major terrorist attack, and wish our wounded a speedy recovery," Netanyahu said in a statement.

He added that he had instructed the military to "impose a cordon on the city of Hebron and to prepare for a full closure of the entire West Bank starting today."

Earlier, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had prevented a "terror attack against Israeli civilians" and that the gunmen carried an M16 rifle and a handgun.

The IDF did not say who the attack was targeting and gave no details on the two dead alleged attackers or those injured in the shooting.

The military has set up roadblocks and closures in and around Palestinian towns in the area.

The Israeli operation to do so comes a week before Israel heads into an election next week, the first since 2019 and since the October 7 Hamas attacks.

Settler violence has been on the rise in the West Bank and dozens of Palestinians have been killed in the territory since the start of the year.