Two Salafi-jihadi terrorists in the Hebron region who were in the middle of planning a terror attack for the coming days were killed in counter-terrorism mission in the village of Yatta, near Hebron, the Shin Bet announced on Tuesday evening.
The Palestinian terror suspects were in a car that had explosives and firearms in it, when they were met by the Counter-Terrorism unit and additional special forces, who were sent to intercept the vehicle, a senior IDF source said.
Israeli forces opened fire at the car's wheels, and the suspects fired back. Following an exchange of fire, the two suspects were killed, the source added.
The suspects plotted a series of attacks against Israel and the Palestinian Authority, security forces stated, and spent recent months preparing in a hideout. Alleged plots include an attempt to kidnap an IDF soldier, and bombings. Security sources said more details would emerge in the course of the investigation, stressing that the raid had not yet ended and that additional members of the terrorism cell were still being pursued.
"We found two explosive devices in the car. Two men were armed inside," the source stated.
Security forces began making arrests linked to the cell in recent days in the southern West Bank. Initial suspicions are that they were part of a local group driven by extremist religious ideology.