The Israeli military conducted raids in Palestinian villages in the northern West Bank early Tuesday, resulting in clashes with militants. According to Palestinian health authorities, four Palestinians were killed during the incidents.
The identities of the deceased remain uncertain, as Palestinian authorities do not distinguish between militants and civilians in their reported death tolls. The Israeli military, however, stated that it had engaged in firefights during the raids, which included strikes in the village of Tamoun and near the city of Jenin.
The armed wing of Islamic Jihad, a militant group backed by Iran, reported that its fighters were actively confronting Israeli forces in villages south of Jenin, utilizing gunfire and explosive devices.
The ongoing raids in the Israeli-occupied West Bank indicate Israel's commitment to targeting armed fighters in the region, even as it manages significant military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, and prepares for potential broader conflict involving Iran.
Israel has intensified its crackdown in the occupied territory, a campaign that commenced prior to the Hamas-led attacks on October 7. Authorities are increasingly alarmed by the possibility of more audacious and sophisticated attacks by Palestinians. These operations have caused considerable destruction, damaging infrastructure and instilling fear among civilians, who are often reluctant to leave their homes amid the military's search for explosive devices.
Sadeq Nazzal, a 60-year-old nursery owner in Qabatiya, near Jenin, described hearing a powerful explosion on Tuesday morning, noting the chaotic environment with military vehicles traversing the main highway and gunfire echoing in the distance. “We’ve become used to this situation,” he remarked. “But every time it happens, it upends our lives. Workplaces and schools shut down.”
During a funeral procession in Tamoun for one of the Palestinians killed, the deceased was wrapped in an Islamic Jihad flag. It is common for Palestinian militant groups to drape their fallen members in flags bearing their insignia, although they sometimes claim non-affiliated individuals as part of their ranks.