IDF on high alert in Hebron as 20,000 Israelis expected for Shabbat amid terror attack fears

With 20,000 Israelis expected in Hebron for Shabbat Chayei Sarah, security forces are preparing for possible terror attacks and clashes, with drills simulating simultaneous emergencies.

The IDF, Israel Police, Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), and Border Police are on high alert ahead of Shabbat Chayei Sarah events in Hebron's Jewish community. Officers in the Judea Brigade said on Friday that approximately 20,000 Israelis are expected to arrive in the coming hours at the Cave of the Patriarchs and the city's Jewish community.

The Paratroopers Brigade's 101st Battalion has been assigned primary responsibility for protecting the Jewish community, alongside additional forces operating in the area.

Security preparations cover a wide range of scenarios, including attacks by lone assailants, threats from organized terrorist networks seeking to carry out attacks during Shabbat, and possible escalation or localized clashes between Israelis and Palestinians in Hebron and the surrounding area.

As part of the final preparations, following weeks of planning, the Judea Brigade conducted a large-scale, multiagency exercise on Thursday to test operational readiness and incorporate lessons learned.

The exercise brought together IDF troops, Israel Police, Border Police, Magen David Adom, and Fire and Rescue Services to strengthen operational cooperation and coordination among security and emergency agencies.

IDF conducts large-scale security exercise in Hebron

The exercise focused on the 101st Battalion, the Ari Battalion, and the 6261st Battalion, which are currently deployed in Hebron, along roads leading to the city, in the southern Hebron Hills, and around Hebron's perimeter.

Over several hours, troops practiced responding to a range of extreme scenarios unfolding simultaneously at multiple locations, including Hebron's Jewish community, Kiryat Arba, and the southern Hebron Hills.

The drills were conducted in close coordination with security representatives from Hebron's Jewish community and Kiryat Arba.

Beyond testing the troops' response in the field, the exercise assessed the brigade's command structure and its ability to manage complex incidents in real time.

Following the exercise, commanders reviewed the key lessons learned and immediately incorporated them into the deployment of forces on the ground.

Security tensions persist amid dispute over IDF withdrawal

The heightened security measures come amid ongoing tensions in Hebron, where a dispute has emerged over the withdrawal of IDF forces from Palestinian neighborhoods.

Last week, it was reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz opposed withdrawing troops from the neighborhoods at this stage, despite the position of some military officials.

The withdrawal was subsequently postponed until after Shabbat Chayei Sarah, when approximately 20,000 Israelis are expected to gather in the city.

IDF operations in the Palestinian neighborhoods began following a shooting attack at Yehuda Junction that killed two Israeli soldiers.