IDF thwarting terror in Judea, Samaria ahead of High Holidays

Since the start of 2025, 16 people have been killed in Arab terrorist attacks across Israel, compared with 37 during the same period last year.

By JNS

The Israel Defense Forces is continuing to operate in Judea and Samaria “in accordance with the ongoing security assessment,” the military said in a statement to JNS on Friday, amid fears of an escalation ahead of the Jewish High Holidays.

“The IDF operates at all times in Judea and Samaria in cooperation with other security agencies to thwart terrorism and ensure the safety of the region’s residents,” the army added.

The IDF told JNS on Monday that it was “monitoring developments and carrying out operations on an ongoing basis” in response to intelligence.

“In addition, training, exercises and force build-up programs are being advanced, as well as reinforcement of forces along the seam line and strengthening the defense of the roads and communities,” it stated.

Israel Hayom cited IDF officials last week saying that a convergence of events could further inflame tensions, starting with the expected recognition of a Palestinian state by several Western countries at the United Nations General Assembly debate, which begins Sept. 23.

The French-led initiative to recognize “Palestine” at the U.N. has prompted Jerusalem to seriously consider extending sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, territories Israel’s military retook during the 1967 Six-Day War.

Next week’s U.N. move also coincides with Rosh Hashanah as well as the Palestinian olive harvest across Judea and Samaria, Israel Hayom noted.

The military has also identified attempts by foreign actors to carry out “as many attacks as possible in Judea and Samaria” as the Jewish holiday season approaches, according to the report.

“Operation Iron Wall,” launched by the IDF in January against Iranian-backed terrorist groups in the Samaria refugee camps, has led to a decline in both terror attacks and attempted attacks.

Since the start of 2025, 16 people have been killed in Arab terrorist attacks across Israel, compared with 37 during the same period last year, Israel Hayom reported.

Following the Sept. 9 attack in Jerusalem that killed six, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that eliminating the two terrorists responsible, along with their accomplices, is “not enough.”

“My directive is to forcefully go after the nests of terrorism,” he stated.

He noted that the IDF already “eliminated the nests of terror in three refugee camps” as part of “Operation Iron Wall” in northern Samaria.

“We simply evacuated the population from there and flattened all terrorist infrastructure, and my directive is to do this in additional terrorist nests,” said the premier.