At least 11 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in a major operation in the north of the occupied West Bank, Palestinian health officials report. The casualties include five individuals who were killed in an air strike in al-Far’a refugee camp, and six who died in a drone strike and armed clashes in Jenin.
Israeli security forces stated that they were conducting a “counterterrorism operation to thwart terror” in Jenin and Tulkarm. This operation is significant as it marks the first time since the second intifada that several Palestinian cities have been targeted simultaneously in this manner. The cities of Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus, and Tubas have all been affected by the Israeli military operation.
Reports from Palestinians indicate that main roads into Jenin have been closed off, with armed clashes occurring in the city’s refugee camp. Additionally, Israeli forces have reportedly entered a hospital in Jenin and blocked off two hospitals in Tulkarm. In Nablus, Israeli military raids are said to be focused on two refugee camps.
In Far’a camp near Tubas, medics are struggling to reach the wounded following an Israeli drone strike. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has stated that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have been operating in Jenin and Tulkarm to dismantle what he described as Iranian-Islamic terror infrastructures.
The Israeli military has provided limited details about the operation but confirmed that the IDF, internal security agency Shin Bet, and Israel Border Police forces are currently engaged in a counterterrorism effort in Jenin and Tulkarm. The situation remains tense as the conflict between Israeli forces and Palestinian groups continues to escalate in the region.
