Israel's assault on Hebron threatens West Bank economy and displaces thousands

Israeli forces have launched a major assault on Hebron in the occupied West Bank, imposing a lockdown, detaining at least 47 Palestinians, and forcing around 2,500 people from their homes since Friday, following a shooting attack that killed two soldiers. The operation includes mass forced expulsions, with nearly 500 Palestinian families uprooted from the Ein Deir Bahha neighbourhood, and homes converted into military posts. Rights groups have compared the tactics to the January 2025 "Iron Wall" operation in Jenin, which displaced over 30,000 people. Hebron accounts for about 40 percent of Palestinian industrial output and 30 percent of exports, so the restrictions threaten to devastate the West Bank economy. The city also faces expanding settler control in its centre, with new iron gates installed in October and ongoing restrictions around the Ibrahimi Mosque.