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(https://rumcdn.geoedge.be/f7ae3efe-f9e8-44be-8cf9-3b564afd5f4b/grumi-ip.js)  (https://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js)  (https://btloader.com/tag?o=5119785225420800&upapi=true)  (https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id=GTM-T4BJGTM)  (https://news.google.com/swg/js/v1/publisher.js)   (../../manifest.json)  (../../../images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/Icons/PNG/jp-favicon-16.png)  (../../../images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/Icons/PNG/jp-favicon-32.png)  (../../../images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/Icons/PNG/jp-favicon-192.png)  (https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/Icons/PNG/jp-favicon-180.png)  (https://fonts.gstatic.com)  (https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js)  Two soldiers from Ari Battalion killed in West Bank terror attack | The Jerusalem Post      (article-912657.html)                     (Jerusalem Post) (https://www.jpost.com/) (The Jerusalem Post - Israel News) (The Jerusalem Post - Israel News)    (CONFERENCES) (https://www.jpost.com/conferences) CONFERENCES  (ISRAEL NEWS) (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news) ISRAEL NEWS  (WORLD NEWS) (https://www.jpost.com/international) WORLD NEWS  (MIDDLE EAST) (https://www.jpost.com/middle-east) MIDDLE EAST  (BUSINESS & INNOVATION) (https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation) BUSINESS & INNOVATION  (DEFENSE & TECH) (https://defense-and-tech.jpost.com/) DEFENSE & TECH  (OPINION) (https://www.jpost.com/opinion) OPINION  (JP STORE) (https://store.jpost.com/) JP STORE   (https://www.jpost.com/PayWalllogin) Login    (Search) ()           (https://www.jpost.com/PayWalllogin) Login (https://payments.jpost.com/paywall/paywallpersonaldetails) Subscribe    (https://www.jpost.com/magazineprint/digitallibrary) JPOST DIGITAL LIBRARY  (https://www.jpost.com/) HOME PAGE  (https://www.jpost.com/jerusalem-report) THE JERUSALEM REPORT  (https://defense-and-tech.jpost.com/) DEFENSE & TECH  (https://www.jpost.com/tags/education) JPOST HIGHER EDUCATION  (https://www.jpost.com/opinion) OPINION  BUSINESS & INNOVATION      (https://realestate.jpost.com/) REAL ESTATE LISTINGS  (https://www.jpost.com/aliyah) ALIYAH  (https://www.jpost.com/conferences) JERUSALEM POST CONFERENCE  PREMIUM      (https://store.jpost.com/) JP STORE  Categories  ISRAEL NEWS      WORLD NEWS      MIDDLE EAST      (https://www.jpost.com/american-politics) US POLITICS  DIASPORA      (https://www.jpost.com/opinion) OPINION  PODCAST      JUDAISM      (https://www.jpost.com/kabbalah) KABBALAH  CHRISTIAN WORLD      HEALTH & WELLNESS      (https://www.jpost.com/science) SCIENCE  (https://www.jpost.com/law) LAW  ARCHAEOLOGY      (https://www.jpost.com/omg) OMG  (https://www.jpost.com/environment-and-climate-change) ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE  (https://www.jpost.com/food-recipes) FOOD & RECIPES  (https://www.jpost.com/history) HISTORY   (https://www.jpost.com/special-content) SPONSORED CONTENT  (https://www.jpost.com/advertise) ADVERTISE WITH US  (https://www.jpost.com/landedpages/termsofservice.aspx) TERMS OF USE  (https://www.jpost.com/landedpages/privacypolicy.aspx) PRIVACY POLICY  (https://www.jpost.com/contactus) CONTACT US  (https://www.jpost.com/customer-service/cancel-subscription) CANCEL SUBSCRIPTION  (https://www.jpost.com/customer-service) CUSTOMER SERVICE  (https://www.jpost.com/landedpages/aboutus.aspx) ABOUT US       (https://www.jpost.com/) Jerusalem Post /  (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news) Israel News /  (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news) Defense News   Squad commander, combat soldier killed in West Bank terror attack, IDF confirms Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem were killed in the West Bank attack that left three others injured.   (Share)         (https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=https://www.jpost.com/)      Follow us on Google     (Fallen soldiers Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem, killed on October 23, 2026, during a terror attack in Hebron, West Bank.) (Fallen soldiers Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem, killed on October 23, 2026, during a terror attack in Hebron, West Bank.)   Fallen soldiers Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem, killed on October 23, 2026, during a terror attack in Hebron, West Bank. (photo credit: Canva, IDF SPOKESPERSON UNIT )    By (https://www.jpost.com/author/ariella-roitman) ARIELLA ROITMAN    OCTOBER 23, 2026 15:33  Updated:  OCTOBER 23, 2026 17:55   Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman, aged 23, from Ashkelon, and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem, aged 20, from Hod Hasharon, were killed in a (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-912651) West Bank terror attack on Friday, the military announced.   Roytman was a squad commander, and Slivem was a combat soldier in the Ari Battalion (775), Search and Rescue Brigade, according to the (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-912646) IDF.    Both fell in combat at the Judea Junction when (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-912642) two terrorists traveling in a car with an M4 machine gun and a pistol opened fire on four soldiers who were on site.   The attackers had originally intended to go past the junction and carry out a larger attack on heavily traveled Route 35, IDF sources estimated, before realizing they would not get through.  Roytman's uncle, Dani, described him as "always smiling, with a great sense of humor, and a mature young man."   "This is a terrible tragedy, and we are still trying to come to terms with it," he said.  Speaking from the site of the attack later on Friday, IDF Chief of General Staff Eyal Zamir said, "I extend my deepest condolences to the families of SSGT Ron Yonatan Roytman and SGT Yuval Shai Svilem, who fell while defending Israeli civilians and preventing an even more serious attack. I also wish the wounded a speedy recovery.”  Three additional soldiers from the battalion were lightly injured and evacuated to receive medical treatment, the military said, and their families have been notified.   (Israeli soldiers take part in a military operation in the West Bank city of Hebron following a shooting attack in the area earlier in the day, October 23, 2026.)  Israeli soldiers take part in a military operation in the West Bank city of Hebron following a shooting attack in the area earlier in the day, October 23, 2026. (credit: WISAM HASHLAMOUN/FLASH90)    Bluth commends IDF bravery, announces 'significant counterterrorism operation'  Commander of the Central Command Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth commended the "bravery of IDF soldiers" at the scene of the attack later on Friday.   Commander of the Central Command Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth at the scene of a West Bank terror attack that killed two soldiers, October 23, 2026.    “This morning, a grave terror attack against Israeli civilians was thwarted," he said. "Unfortunately, we paid a heavy price during the encounter, and two combat soldiers fell in battle. I wish to extend my condolences to their families."  Bluth called the IDF the "protective shield" of Israeli citizens. Today, IDF soldiers put their lives on the line to prevent a grave terror attack against civilians," he said.  He also announced a "significant counterterrorism operation (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-912648) alongside imposing a cordon on the areas of Hebron and Halhul." "We will bring all terrorists to justice and dismantle terrorist infrastructure of all kinds," he pledged.   Zamir vowed that the military would "act decisively, pursue and reach all those involved in the attack."  “The outcome of the encounter with the terrorist cell is painful," he said, "but the initial inquiry indicates that the troops’ actions prevented a serious attack against Israeli civilians.  “We are at the highest level of readiness and alert across all fronts," he continued. "Our primary mission is to thwart terrorism and ensure security and stability for Israeli civilians. We will continue to strike and take proactive action wherever necessary, while acting with composure. We will not be drawn into provocations or allow our enemies to influence our actions, particularly as we enter this sensitive week."  Zamir held a situational assessment alongside Bluth, Commander of the 98th Division Brig.-Gen. Meni Liberty, Acting Head of the Civil Administration Brig.-Gen. (Res) Ilan Malka, the commander of the Judea Regional Brigade, the commander of the Judea and Samaria Border Police, representatives of the Israel Security Agency (ISA), and additional senior commanders.  "Based on the situational assessment, we prepared for the possibility of escalation in Judea and Samaria, reinforced our troops, and deployed the 98th Division headquarters and numerous additional troops to the area," he said. "Our troops’ operations in the area have prevented and thwarted numerous attacks in recent weeks. We will act decisively and pursue all those involved in the attack. Anyone who attempts to harm us should know that we will reach them."  Zamir added that the IDF is at its "highest level of readiness and alert across all fronts."  "Our primary mission is to thwart terrorism and ensure security and stability for Israeli civilians. We will continue to strike and take proactive action wherever necessary, while acting with composure. We will not be drawn into provocations or allow our enemies to influence our actions, particularly as we enter this sensitive week. We will also conduct an inquiry into this attack to learn from it and draw lessons for the future," he said.  Yonah Jeremy Bob, Tzvi Jasper, and Amichai Stein contributed to this report.       See more on (https://www.jpost.com/tags/idf) IDF |  (https://www.jpost.com/tags/west-bank) West Bank |  (https://www.jpost.com/tags/terror-attack) Terror Attack |  (https://www.jpost.com/tags/soldiers) soldiers    (https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=https://www.jpost.com/)      Follow us on Google           Related Articles (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-912675) (Israeli soldiers move near a building in Hebron, West Bank on October 23, 2026.) (Israeli soldiers move near a building in Hebron, West Bank on October 23, 2026.)  IDF targets Hebron terror infrastructure after attack    (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-912571) Jerusalem highlights: October 23-29      (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-912622) Female IDF teams keep watch on Syrian border      (article-912657.html) (Fallen soldiers Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem, killed on October 23, 2026, during a terror attack in Hebron, West Bank.) (Fallen soldiers Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem, killed on October 23, 2026, during a terror attack in Hebron, West Bank.)  Two soldiers killed in West Bank terror attack   (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-912651) (One of the terrorists who attacked the northern checkpoint of Hebron in the West Bank, October 23, 2026.) (One of the terrorists who attacked the northern checkpoint of Hebron in the West Bank, October 23, 2026.)  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