Israel said it had foiled a suspected attack against civilians after its forces killed two gunmen accused of fatally shooting two Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank on Friday.
The incident occurred just days before Tuesday’s Israeli election, in which voters are set to decide whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will remain in office.
Meanwhile, a separate shooting at a church in Jordan left seven people dead and 40 others injured.
Below is a summary of the latest developments across the Middle East on Friday.
Israeli Forces Launch Searches in Hebron Area
The Israeli military announced that it had begun extensive searches in the Hebron area following an attack that killed two soldiers and injured three others earlier on Friday.
In a statement issued late in the day, the military said its forces were carrying out targeted security operations in the area where the suspected attackers had been operating. The operation was expected to continue for several days.
Residents in the affected area would be permitted to leave only through three designated checkpoints after undergoing questioning and security screening, the military said.
Israeli forces also began demolishing structures and infrastructure they considered security threats while continuing operations throughout the West Bank.
Earlier, the office of Israel’s prime minister said the military had been instructed to prepare for a complete closure of the occupied West Bank following the shooting.
Israeli Military Says Two Attackers Were Killed
The Israeli military said its forces shot dead two men suspected of carrying out an attack near Hebron on Friday morning. Two Israeli soldiers were killed, while three others sustained minor injuries.
According to the military, the soldiers had stopped what it described as a planned terrorist attack against Israeli civilians. The suspected attackers were reportedly armed with an M16 rifle and a handgun.
Following the incident, the prime minister’s office ordered preparations for a comprehensive closure of the West Bank, where the attack took place.
US Reduces Embassy Staffing Amid Iranian Threat Concerns
The United States is reducing personnel at four of its embassies in the Middle East following intelligence assessments indicating that Iran had intensified efforts to target American officials and other personnel.
In a memorandum sent to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton said intelligence agencies had detected a significant increase in Iranian efforts to target US personnel both in the Middle East and elsewhere.
Clayton warned that alleged Iranian plots to kill American citizens had reached advanced stages in the region and in certain other countries.
The Associated Press obtained the memorandum, which was also reported by Axios. Three US officials, speaking anonymously because of the sensitivity of the issue, confirmed that the document had been sent to Rubio, who serves as both secretary of state and national security adviser.
The development came shortly after the State Department announced plans to reduce staffing at American embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Officials said concerns involving Iran and the Iranian-backed Houthi movement in Yemen were connected to the staffing adjustments.
Seven Killed in Attack on Church in Jordan
Gunmen opened fire during a funeral service at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, Jordan, on Friday, killing seven people and injuring 40 others, authorities said.
Karak, which has a small Christian community, is located about 180 kilometres (110 miles) south of Amman, the Jordanian capital.
Health Minister Ibrahim al-Budour said two of the injured remained in critical condition.
Footage broadcast on Jordanian state television showed two men, apparently carrying pistols, approaching the church and firing. A third individual, seemingly armed with a semiautomatic rifle, then joined the shooting before all three moved towards the church.
The government described the attackers as unidentified assailants and said investigations were progressing rapidly, but did not disclose whether anyone had been arrested or killed.
Karak has experienced deadly violence in the past. In 2016, an attack involving Islamic State militants at Karak Castle, a popular tourist attraction, killed 14 people, including a Canadian visitor. No group had immediately claimed responsibility for Friday’s church shooting.
Arab Parties Seek Ban on Armed Election Observers
Arab political parties contesting Israel’s upcoming national election have petitioned the country’s Supreme Court to prohibit partisan election observers from carrying firearms at polling stations.
The petition, submitted on Thursday with the assistance of the Israeli legal rights organisation Adalah, argued that the proposed restriction was necessary to safeguard voters and protect the integrity of Tuesday’s election.
The legal challenge followed announcements by Jewish political parties led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich that they intended to deploy approximately 2,000 election observers in Arab neighbourhoods. The parties cited allegations of electoral fraud as the reason for the move.
Arab citizens account for roughly 20 per cent of Israel’s population. Arab-led political parties could play a significant role in coalition negotiations, depending on whether Jewish parties are willing to cooperate with them.
The election is the first national vote since Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Israeli Strikes Kill Three People in Gaza
Israeli military strikes killed three people in southern Gaza and Gaza City on Friday, according to local health authorities.
One person was killed in a strike in southern Gaza. The Israeli military said the target was a Hamas militant. A separate strike in Gaza City killed two people, although the military did not immediately comment on that incident.
Relatives of the two people killed in Gaza City gathered in the courtyard of Shifa Hospital, where their bodies had been taken.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 1,500 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli military operations since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in October 2025.
The ministry maintains detailed casualty records that are generally regarded as reliable by United Nations agencies and independent experts. However, because it operates under the Hamas-led administration, its figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. The ministry has said that women and children account for nearly half of those killed.