Israeli Airstrike Hits West Bank Amid Third Day of Raids

The Israeli military carried out an airstrike in the West Bank city of Jenin amid ongoing intense clashes in the area, officials reported on Friday.

In a brief statement, the Israeli military confirmed that a military aircraft targeted a “terrorist cell” during an encounter with security forces as part of a counterterrorism operation in Jenin. The statement did not provide further details.

While airstrikes have been a common tactic in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, they have been relatively rare in the West Bank during this period.

Israel claims that these operations across the northern West Bank, which have resulted in the deaths of 16 individuals—mostly militants—since late Tuesday, are intended to prevent attacks. However, Palestinians view these actions as an expansion of the Gaza conflict and a continuation of Israel’s long-standing military control over the West Bank.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 650 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the onset of the war.

Israel took control of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem during the 1967 Mideast war. Palestinians seek all three territories for the establishment of their future state.