The IDF on Friday afternoon cleared for publication the names of two soldiers killed in a deadly Palestinian terrorist shooting attack near Chevron earlier in the day.

The fallen soldiers were Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman HY”D, 23, from Ashkelon, a squad commander in the Ari Battalion (775) of the IDF Search and Rescue Brigade, and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem HY”D, 20, from Hod Hasharon, who served in the same battalion.

Their families have been notified.

As YWN reported, the attack occurred at approximately 7:15 a.m. at Yehuda Junction, near Chevron, when two armed Palestinian terrorists approached a temporary IDF checkpoint established by Home Front Command soldiers.

The terrorists, identified as Hamouda Jaaba and Firas Jaaba, both 27-year-old relatives from Chevron, arrived in a vehicle carrying an M4 assault rifle, a handgun, and a large quantity of ammunition.

According to Israeli security officials, the terrorists had originally intended to reach Routes 35 and 60, major roads used by civilian traffic, where they were planning a potentially devastating attack.

However, the presence of IDF soldiers at the temporary checkpoint prevented them from reaching their intended targets.

Instead, the terrorists exited their vehicle and opened fire on the soldiers, triggering a fierce gun battle at close range that lasted more than 20 minutes.

Several soldiers were struck during the exchange of gunfire as troops fought to neutralize the attackers while simultaneously attempting to evacuate the wounded.

Both terrorists were ultimately eliminated by soldiers from the Ari Battalion.

The IDF said the soldiers’ deployment and swift response prevented a potentially far more deadly attack against civilians.

Lieutenant Colonel L., commander of the Ari Battalion, praised his soldiers for their actions, saying the incident demonstrated the importance of their mission and their operational readiness during their first deployment.

He said the troops maintained a high level of alertness, engaged the terrorists decisively, and prevented civilian casualties.

Following the attack, Israeli security forces launched extensive counterterrorism operations throughout Chevron and surrounding communities.

Troops from the elite Duvdevan unit, Paratroopers Brigade, Search and Rescue Brigade, and Border Police are conducting operations aimed at identifying and dismantling terrorist infrastructure.

A complete security cordon has been imposed around Chevron and Halhul, with dozens of roadblocks established throughout the area.

The elite Maglan unit has also been deployed to reinforce IDF forces in the Yehuda Brigade sector as the military prepares to expand its counterterrorism operations.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)