Two female IDF soldiers were rescued on Sunday after being surrounded and attacked by a group of Haredi protesters in Bnei Brak. Police forces extracted the soldiers from the scene, during which demonstrators also overturned a police patrol car. The circumstances of the incident are under investigation.
An initial inquiry indicated that the two soldiers are believed to be noncommissioned officers serving as instructors at Havat Hashomer base, an IDF facility known for integrating soldiers into the IDF. They had reportedly arrived in the city for a home visit as part of their duties.
שתי חיילות חולצו מניסיון תקיפה בהפגנת חרדים בבני ברק
צילום: דוד קשת pic.twitter.com/zL56W7oWZh— ישראל היום (@IsraelHayomHeb) February 15, 2026
Among the possibilities being examined was whether the soldiers had come to distribute military draft notices. However, the Military Police said they were not familiar with such claims.
"Bnei Brak-Ramat Gan police officers who arrived quickly at the scene rescued the soldiers, as rioters began confronting the officers and throwing trash bins toward the path of the patrol car," the statement said. "The incident is now under control and the soldiers have been evacuated from the scene."
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett condemned the incident, calling it "anarchy."
"A bright red line has been crossed here," Bennett said. "We will not allow harm to come to our soldiers. We will restore governance to Israel."
