Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz visited the Judea and Samaria Division on Wednesday, warning commanders to prepare for a possible October 7–style attack against communities in Judea and Samaria and along the seam line by jihadist elements.
Katz toured the division together with Deputy IDF Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai, Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, Judea and Samaria Division commander Brig. Gen. Kobi Heller, the commander of Border Police forces in the area, and additional senior officers. During the visit, Katz received an operational briefing and a security assessment.
The defense minister praised IDF, Border Police, and security forces for determined activity that has led to a dramatic decline in terrorism and a significant improvement in the security situation on the ground. He emphasized that operations conducted over the past year in the terror strongholds of Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur al-Shams — carried out under his leadership together with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — have proven highly effective.
According to Katz, the evacuation of civilians, sustained counterterror operations, and the continued presence of IDF forces inside the camps resulted in a reduction of more than 80% in terrorist activity in Judea and Samaria. He instructed commanders to study the model, examine expanding it to additional camps, and operate decisively and continuously.