Hundreds of soldiers, backed by armored vehicles, have stormed Palestinian cities, imposing blockades and installing new iron gates.

The Israeli military launched a “massive” operation in Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank, deploying hundreds of soldiers and heavy machinery in a move that paralyzed the southern part of the city.

In a joint statement on Monday, the Israeli army and internal security service Shin Bet confirmed the offensive, saying it was aimed at “defeating terror infrastructure” and confiscating weapons in the Jebel Jawhar area.

The military warned that the operation would last “several days”.

“Defensive Shield” Tactics

Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent Muntaser Nassar described the state of total lockdown while reporting from the scene.

“We are in the so-called southern area of ​​Hebron, which has been under a curfew since dawn,” Nassar said. “The occupation forces are intensively deployed… including bulldozers and tracked armored vehicles.”

“We witnessed tracked armored vehicles… The last time we saw these in Hebron was during the Second Intifada during (Israeli’s) Operation Defensive Shield,” he said, noting the importance of heavy equipment.

“divided divided”

While the army cited “anti-terrorism objectives”, Nassar observed soldiers installing new metal barriers, warning of tighter controls in the long term.

“They brought in iron gates a while ago and that’s the dangerous part,” Nassar said. “It appears that what is happening on the ground is a prelude to dividing people who are already divided.”

Video footage confirmed by local sources showed Israeli forces closing the Tariq bin Ziad roundabout with cement blocks and mounds of earth. Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that at least seven people had been arrested.

Mosques under pressure

Nassar noted that the attack occurred less than half a kilometer from the base. Ibrahim MosqueIt follows recent Israeli moves to strip Palestinian authority over the site.

“This comes 15 days after the decision to ban the head of the Ibrahimi Mosque…,” Nassar explained, noting that the management of the mosque was being transferred to the Israel Civil Administration.

since the beginning of the year Israel’s Genocidal War on Gaza In October 2023, more than 1,080 Palestinians west bankAccording to official Palestinian sources, some 11,000 people were injured and about 20,500 arrested.