Intensification of Conflicts in the Middle East - The Israeli military initiates a substantial campaign within the West Bank territory.
The Israeli military has initiated a substantial military operation in the northern part of the West Bank, resulting in at least nine fatalities as per Palestinian authorities' reports. The operation expanded into towns like Tulkarem and Jenin, according to the army's statements.
News outlets detailed the mobilization of numerous infantry units, drones, and snipers. Infrastructure was demolished using bulldozers, and all access routes to Jenin were barricaded. Confrontations ensued between the military and armed Palestinians, leading to several arrests of wanted Palestinians.
The Palestinian Health Ministry in the West Bank reported that seven deaths occurred in Tubas, also in the northern West Bank, while two fatalities were reported in Jenin.
As per both Israeli and Palestinian media sources, forces encircled hospitals in both cities and obstructed the passage of ambulances. An Israeli army representative acknowledged that the move aimed to control access to clinic buildings to prevent militants from seeking refuge there.
The army spokesperson reasoned that the operation was prompted by a rise in attacks on Israelis originating from the northern West Bank. He also alluded to a recent Tel Aviv bombing incident where the attacker perished and an innocent bystander was injured by an explosive device.
Following the Israeli narrative, the primary objective of the extensive operation in Jenin and Tulkarem was to dismantle an Iran-funded terror network. Both cities are recognized as havens for militant Palestinians. For the past eleven months, nearly 150 shooting and bombing attacks on Israelis have originated from these areas, the military spokesperson indicated.
Israeli Foreign Minister Katz remarked, "We need to handle this threat as we do with the terror infrastructure in Gaza, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian civilians." He further emphasized, "This is a war in every sense, and we must emerge victorious." The army spokesperson was uninformed about any evacuation plans for the civilian population in the northern West Bank.
Predictions suggested that the military operation in the West Bank could persist for multiple days, based on information from "Times of Israel" from army sources.
Katz wrote on X, "Since last night, the Israeli army has been launching a major offensive against an Islamist-Iranian terror network in the refugee camps of Jenin and Tulkarem." He added, "Iran is working on creating an eastern terror front against Israel in Judea and Samaria (West Bank) by bankrolling and arming terrorists and smuggling advanced weapons to the region through Jordan, in the same manner as it does in Gaza and Lebanon."
The volatile situation in the occupied West Bank has worsened since the Hamas massacre with 1,200 fatalities on October 7, 2023, and the commencement of the Gaza war. Over 630 Palestinians have lost their lives in Israeli military operations, armed conflicts, and extremist attacks since then, according to the Health Ministry in Ramallah.
Frequent raids by the Israeli army are common in Jenin and Tulkarem. On Monday alone, five people lost their lives in the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem, according to the Ministry of Health. The Israeli army claimed that the bombing targeted militant Palestinians.
Meanwhile, negotiations to secure a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip are ongoing, as efforts continue to free the remaining hostages held by Hamas.
An Israeli delegation went to Doha to participate in further discussions regarding an agreement with Hamas. The indirect negotiations, facilitated by Qatar, Egypt, and the USA, have been at a standstill for months.
Other nations have expressed concern over the escalating conflict in the West Bank, urging both sides to exercise restraint and seek a peaceful resolution. Despite the ongoing operation, Palestinians continue to protest against Israeli actions, voicing their concerns about the displacement of civilians and the impact on their daily lives.
