IDF Reportedly Diverts Three Platoons to Protect Families Near Jericho

About three IDF combat platoons have reportedly been reassigned to protect Jewish families who entered eight homes near Jericho on Wednesday. The troops had been scheduled for other security duties, including efforts to prevent smuggling along the Jordanian border. The deployment followed an entry that the army said had not been coordinated or approved in advance. The families arrived after a purchase operation organized by Nachala with support from the Binyamin Regional Council. The homes are in Area C, near territory in Area A under Palestinian Authority civil and security control. The report linked the additional protection to the homes’ proximity to Area A. The organizers’ account of the purchase remains subject to examination by the relevant authorities. The IDF said, “The entry into the houses was made without prior coordination with the IDF and without approval.” It added that the purchase process and its security implications were being examined, and confirmed that troops were present in the area. The army’s response did not itself specify the number of platoons or confirm which assignments they had left. In the coming days, the army is expected to work on a security arrangement for the residents. The immediate deployment therefore precedes completion of the review and a longer-term arrangement for guarding the homes.