Agencies | Telavive:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the Israeli military is prepared to launch a “large-scale operation” and will impose a “full lockdown” across the occupied West Bank following a gun battle in Hebron that left two Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers dead.
According to reports, Israeli forces killed two Palestinians during the exchange of fire, while the Israeli military said two of its soldiers were killed and three others injured in the shooting.
The announcement signals the possibility of intensified Israeli military operations and tighter movement restrictions across the occupied territory. Further details regarding the scope and timing of the proposed operation were not immediately available.
Meanwhile, Abdollah Haji Sadeghi, a representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said Mojtaba Khamenei was exercising leadership and was in good health.
On the diplomatic front, European and Middle Eastern foreign ministers are meeting in Istanbul for discussions on security concerns surrounding the strategically important Strait of Hormuz and wider regional crises.
The talks come amid continuing concerns over maritime security and the potential impact of regional tensions on international shipping and energy supplies.
Separately, Saudi-led coalition forces said they had intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi movement towards Khamis Mushait in Saudi Arabia.
The developments highlight continuing security challenges across the Middle East, with military confrontations, maritime concerns and diplomatic efforts unfolding simultaneously.
