Breaking: Israel orders military to prepare West Bank closure after attack

Israel has ordered soldiers to prepare for the West Bank be locked down following a deadly shooting in the occupied territory.

The directive came after Israeli soldiers killed two men who injured five in an attack near Hebron.

Benjamin Netanyahu, who is running for re-election next week, has called for all political meetings to be cancelled.

Israel has ordered its soldiers to prepare for a full closure of the West Bank after a deadly shooting in the occupied territory.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said security forces had been instructed to cordon off the city of Hebron immediately.

Mr Netanyahu, who is running for another term in elections on Tuesday, has called for all political meetings to be cancelled due to the attack.

"I salute the courage of our soldiers who acted with determination and prevented what could have been a major attack," he said in a statement.

"I have instructed the IDF and security forces to impose an immediate cordon on the city of Hebron and to prepare for a full lockdown of all of Judea and Samaria starting today."

The orders were issued after Israeli soldiers shot and killed two men who launched an attack near Hebron. At least five people were injured, some critically.

The army said it prevented a "terror attack against Israeli civilians" and that the men were armed with an M16 assault rifle and a handgun. It did not elaborate on the target of the alleged attack.

There was also no word on the identities of the two dead and those injured.

Two men in their 20s sustained gunshot wounds to their lower limbs. One was unconscious and seriously injured, the responders said.

"We arrived at a difficult scene while shooting was still taking place in the area," emergency response team member Tzuriel Edri said.

There is no evidence to suggest the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian government in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, was connected to the attack.

Hamas, which is based in Gaza described Friday's incident an "exceptional heroic operation" and mourned the two dead assailants. It did not claim responsibility.

The attack is a "natural and legitimate response to the ongoing crimes and brutal attacks against our people", Hamas, the rival of the Palestinian Authority's ruling Fatah faction, said in a statement.

Mr Netanyahu in his statement vowed to "pursue Hamas terrorists" everywhere, adding: "You have no place to hide."

Ahead of the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that triggered the war, Mr Netanyahu said the Palestinian militant group could attack Israel in a bid to influence the outcome of the elections.

He did not provide evidence to back up the claim.