On Tuesday night, the Israeli military conducted an airstrike targeting Palestinian gunmen in the city of Jenin in the northern West Bank. The operation took place as Israeli forces were withdrawing from the area after a major campaign that lasted 45 hours.
According to the IDF, the gunmen were located at a cemetery on the outskirts of Jenin and posed a threat to the security forces as they were leaving the refugee camp. The IDF issued a statement stating that this incident provided further evidence of terrorists exploiting civilian sites in the city and the Jenin refugee camp.
Palestinian media outlets reported casualties from the strike, but their conditions were not immediately known.
As Israeli troops were leaving the city on Tuesday night, sporadic clashes between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli forces occurred. A military source mentioned that some of the forces had already exited the area as the operation was wrapping up.
Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at the conclusion of Israel’s major military operation in Jenin, emphasizing that it would not be the last raid. He pledged to continue taking action against terrorism and prevent Jenin from becoming a hub of terror.
The operation, launched on Monday, aimed to crack down on what Israel considers a stronghold of terrorism in the city. Attacks on Israelis in recent years have been attributed to Palestinians from the area, with limited control by the Palestinian Authority.
The focus of the IDF operation was the local branch of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad known as the Jenin Battalion, along with other smaller armed groups in the city and the refugee camp.
The operation continued on Tuesday with fewer confrontations, indicating its near conclusion. The Palestinian Authority health ministry reported casualties, including fatalities and injuries, during clashes with Israeli forces.
The total death toll from the IDF’s operation in Jenin reached 12, with at least 100 others wounded, including several in serious condition. The IDF clarified that while all the deceased were involved in the fighting, some of the wounded were noncombatants.
Around 1,000 IDF troops were engaged in the campaign, making it the largest operation in the West Bank in approximately two decades.
During the operation, Israeli forces uncovered and destroyed numerous explosive devices hidden along roads in the Jenin refugee camp. The IDF stated that planting such devices in civilian areas posed a threat to security forces and innocent people.
Throughout the campaign, the IDF dismantled weapon storage sites, explosives labs, and war rooms used by Palestinian gunmen. They also confiscated a significant number of firearms and ammunition.
The military has referred to the operation as “Bayit Vagan,” which is derived from Jenin’s biblical name. However, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit has stated that the operation has no official name.
The northern West Bank, particularly Jenin and its surroundings, has long been a focal point of terrorism according to the IDF, with a history of attacks by residents of the area. The recent surge in shooting attacks and resistance to IDF raids in Palestinian cities led to speculation about a major Israeli military operation in the West Bank.
{Matzav.com Israel}
