Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday vowed that Israel would "settle the score" with Palestinian terrorists carrying out attacks against Israelis.
Two Israeli soldiers, Kfir Infantry Brigade Sgt. Yosef Cohen, 19, and Staff Sgt. Yovel Mor Yosef, 20, were gunned down Thursday near the Givat Asaf outpost in the Binyamin region. A third soldier was critically injured in the attack and a civilian, 20-year-old Shira Sabag, sustained serious injuries.
The attack came on the heels of a similar drive-by shooting that took place on Sunday evening at a bus stop near the Samaria settlement of Ofra, just 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) north of Givat Asaf.
Seven Israelis, including a pregnant woman, were wounded in the attack. The woman's baby, delivered via emergency C-section at 30 weeks, was in critical condition for three days. He died on Wednesday evening.
"Last night [Wednesday] we settled the score with the murderers from the terrorist attacks in the Barkan Industrial Park and Ofra, and today [Thursday] we suffered a harsh attack in which two soldiers were killed," Netanyahu said.
"We will settle the score with whoever did this. Our guiding principle is that whoever attacks us or tries to attack us will pay with their life. Our enemies know this and we will find them," he said.
Thursday saw the Israeli military launch a massive manhunt for the Givat Asaf terrorists, setting up checkpoints and blocking roads. As of Thursday, Israeli forces were also surrounding Ramallah and the adjacent villages, where the terrorists may be hiding.
Netanyahu, who is also acting defense minister, ordered increased IDF deployment across Judea and Samaria, and called for demolishing the terrorists' homes within 48 hours.
IDF Spokesman in English Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said augmented security measures were aimed at preventing copycat attacks.
"We know that when there is one attack there may be others," he said.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned Israel's action and accused it of creating a climate conducive to violence.
"This atmosphere created by the frequent Israeli raids of the cities, and the absence of hope for peace, lead to this series of violence that both peoples are paying the price for," he said in a statement.
Israeli defense officials said Hamas, the terrorist group that rules the Gaza Strip, was behind this week's attacks.
The group lauded the shootings, threatening they were "only the beginning."
