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Sirens wailed across the Northern West Bank settlement of Elei Zahav in the early hours of Saturday morning, warning residents of a suspected terrorist infiltration. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later confirmed that the alarm was a false alert, bringing a brief moment of relief after hours of anxiety.
According to the IDF Home Front Command, residents were instructed to immediately enter protected areas and remain there until further notice. Security teams swept the area, coordinating with military units to verify the source of the alert. Following a thorough search, the situation was declared safe, and residents were allowed to leave their shelters.
The false alarm comes amid heightened tensions and repeated infiltration warnings in Israeli settlements across the West Bank over the past few days. Just a day earlier, security forces responded to another suspected infiltration at the Kohav HaShahar settlement, also located in the West Bank.
In that incident, the IDF said it received a report of an attempted break-in at a home within the settlement early Friday morning. Forces were dispatched immediately to conduct searches, though no suspects were apprehended and no injuries were reported.
Adding to security concerns, Israeli public broadcaster KAN News reported that two masked men infiltrated the Na’ale settlement on Saturday night. According to the report, the intruders entered through a gap in the security fence and roamed the streets for nearly three hours before being detected by local security patrols.
Residents in the affected settlements have expressed growing unease about recent incidents, calling for stronger security measures and improved fencing systems. “People are on edge,” one Elei Zahav resident said. “Every siren makes you wonder if this time it’s real.”
The IDF has since reinforced its presence in the region, deploying additional patrols and surveillance teams to monitor settlement perimeters and prevent potential infiltrations. Officials emphasized that while several alerts have turned out to be false alarms, the increased vigilance remains crucial given ongoing threats.
Security analysts note that these incidents highlight the vulnerabilities of remote settlements, where expansive terrain and limited manpower can challenge rapid response efforts. The IDF has reiterated its commitment to enhancing detection systems and maintaining close coordination with civilian security units.
While Saturday’s alert in Elei Zahav proved unfounded, the recent spate of infiltration reports underscores the fragile sense of security in many West Bank communities — where residents continue to live under the constant shadow of potential attacks.