Israel Demolishes Palestinian Homes in West Bank Town, Local Official Says

Israeli authorities have demolished Palestinian homes in a West Bank town near Hebron as part of what a local official described as an effort to establish a “settlement belt” across the region, according to a report by Anadolu Agency.

Ahmad Rajoub, the Palestinian mayor cited in the report, told Anadolu that the demolitions are connected to broader Israeli measures aimed at creating a corridor of settlements stretching from the northern to the southern parts of Hebron.

Rajoub said the plan, if carried out, would fragment the area, though Anadolu's report did not provide further detail on the specific scope or timeline of the demolitions.

The report did not include comment from Israeli authorities on the demolitions or the mayor's characterization of a planned "settlement belt."

The West Bank, including areas around Hebron, has seen repeated instances of Israeli settlement expansion and property demolitions in Palestinian communities, developments that Palestinian officials have long said are aimed at altering the territorial control of the region.