The short drive through the darkness toward the city passed quickly. The destination was Nablus, long regarded by the IDF as one of the main centers of terrorism in the northern West Bank. The timing was deliberate: The Samaria Brigade chose Oct. 7 for a major operation targeting Hamas terrorists and infrastructure in the city.
At exactly midnight, as the date changed to Oct. 7, the forces moved out. Two reserve battalions were joined by the Nahal Brigade’s 931st Battalion.
Gallery
‘We’ll go wherever we’re told and carry out the mission.’ Brigade troops in Nablus
(Photo: IDF)
“We’ve been in this sector for three weeks,” said Lt. Col. N., commander of the battalion. “Before that we were in the Ephraim sector and then in Lebanon. The soldiers and commanders in my battalion understand exactly what they are doing here.”
“Before we arrived, I told them our job was to prevent the next Oct. 7. At the same time, if there is terrorism, it should encounter the army, not civilians. The soldiers understand what they are protecting here, at the intersections and in the communities. When residents pass by and tell them ‘thank you,’ it reinforces that understanding.”
Weapons, drones and terror funds
Each force participating in the operation was assigned a specific mission. Some distributed IDF leaflets telling residents that Hamas was exploiting them. Others posted warnings on streetlights urging residents to stay away from dangerous locations and not take part in incitement or terrorist activity.
Reports from units operating across the city came in continuously: large sums of money allegedly intended for terrorism were seized, along with tactical vests, ammunition and even drones. A reservist from Battalion 8208 described the large cache of weapons found in one home.
IDF troops operate in Nablus
(Photo: IDF)
Battalion 8208 is also responsible for the Jalud area, where two homes belonging to the Tubasi family were set on fire a week earlier.
“We focus only on the mission, whether it is a brigade operation or dealing with lawbreakers, and block out all the background noise,” one soldier said.
The Samaria Brigade carries out arrest operations almost every night, with commanders describing nonstop counterterrorism activity as the guiding principle.
“We don’t leave targets sitting on the shelf,” said the brigade commander, Col. D. “If a target comes up for arrest, we act on it that same day. Throughout the week we arrested terrorists who were talking about terrorism connected to Oct. 7. We see that the date carries great significance for them.”
‘We will reach every site’
“This is Martyrs’ Square. It will be demolished in the coming hours,” one soldier said during the operation.
The square displayed the names of terrorists who carried out attacks against Israelis and had become a gathering place for young people in the city. As IDF troops approached, youths began throwing stones before quickly fleeing.
IDF raids Nablus on Oct. 7, detains some 200 Hamas-linked suspects
(Photo: IDF)
The demolition of memorials was carried out together with Border Police forces in the West Bank and under the direction of Maj. Y., the brigade’s engineering officer.
“Demolishing the memorials is a small but significant part of the overall brigade operation,” he said. “After searching homes and questioning suspects, what remains is to destroy places we know serve as centers of incitement.”
Fourteen memorials and signs honoring terrorists were demolished overnight using engineering equipment.
Some of the weapons seized during Wednesday’s operation
(Photo: IDF)
(Photo: IDF)
“Even when an incitement site is in a crowded or remote location, we will reach it,” Maj. Y. said. “We are not afraid to enter these places.”
Several months ago, MK Zvi Sukkot drew widespread attention after requesting an IDF escort, stopping near one such memorial and beginning to smash it himself.
After Palestinian social media accounts reported the demolitions from the latest operation, claims circulated that they had been carried out following mapping conducted by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Sukkot. Military officials said that was incorrect, saying the demolitions had been planned earlier and were carried out after the required legal approvals and an operational assessment.
“Dealing with memorials and centers of terrorism and incitement is routine, daily work involving both brigade intelligence and the Shin Bet,” Maj. Y. said. “We are very familiar with these memorials. This is nothing new for us.”
“There are many more memorials and signs in villages throughout the sector, and we will continue reaching them and demolishing them. Wherever we are told to go, we will go and carry out the mission. We are not dependent on any outside party.”
Some 200 detained or questioned
As morning broke over Nablus, the forces began preparing to return to their base. Stone throwers targeted military vehicles as they left the city, and troops responded.
The IDF described the overnight operation as a success. Around 200 people identified with Hamas were detained, questioned or arrested on suspicion of incitement linked to Oct. 7. Weapons and funds allegedly intended for terrorism were seized, while memorials and signs honoring terrorists were dismantled or demolished.
“Our operation made an impact in Nablus, and the messages were delivered directly,” Lt. Col. N. said. “Those who needed to be arrested were arrested, and the weapons were found. That is thanks to the soldiers and commanders who keep pushing forward.”
“To finish such a successful operation on a day like this is a privilege for us.”