Israeli Military Operations Continue in West Bank Amid Rising Tensions

Jenin, West Bank — Israeli forces maintained their extensive military operations in the northern West Bank on Tuesday, marking nearly a week of intensified raids that have resulted in significant casualties and destruction. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that at least 27 Palestinians have been killed since the onset of these raids.

An Israeli airstrike overnight targeted militants in Tulkarem, a city near Jenin, where a 15-year-old Palestinian was killed, according to local hospital sources. This incident is part of a broader campaign that, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, has resulted in a total of 30 fatalities and approximately 130 injuries in the West Bank since Wednesday. This toll includes three deaths in the Hebron area, which were not related to the ongoing operations in the north.

On the seventh day of this major “counter-terrorism” operation, the focus remains heavily on the Jenin area. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that at least 18 individuals have been killed in Jenin since the raids began. The Israeli military confirmed on Monday that its forces had killed 14 militants in Jenin and apprehended 25 individuals described as “terrorists.”

In a separate incident, a 16-year-old girl was killed by Israeli forces in Kfar Dan, a town within the Jenin governorate. The Health Ministry did not clarify if this death was part of the 18 reported in the Jenin area.

Reports from Jenin indicated that the city’s streets were largely deserted on Tuesday, with many shops closed. Israeli armored vehicles, bulldozers, and ambulances were among the few vehicles visible. The Israeli military has used bulldozers to overturn paved streets, claiming this is necessary to uncover and neutralize explosive devices hidden beneath the roads. The Jenin city council reported that 70 percent of the city’s roads and streets have been damaged or destroyed since the beginning of the raids. Infrastructure damage includes approximately 20 kilometers of water, sewage, communication, and electricity lines, with 80 percent of the city’s water pipes reported destroyed. The municipality lacks sufficient funds to repair the damage.

The northern West Bank, particularly Jenin and its adjacent refugee camp, has long been a stronghold for Palestinian armed groups opposing Israeli occupation. While Israeli forces routinely conduct incursions into Palestinian areas, the scale and simultaneity of the current operations are unprecedented.

In Tulkarem, Israeli aircraft targeted a Palestinian militant cell that allegedly fired on security forces during the counter-terrorism operation. The strike resulted in the death of a 15-year-old and injuries to his father and four others, according to a local medical source. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported treating several shrapnel injuries, including those of a paramedic.

Further south, Israeli forces raided Birzeit University near Ramallah early Tuesday, confiscating property from the student council, according to a university statement.

The surge in violence follows Hamas’s attack on October 7, which triggered a larger conflict in Gaza. The UN estimates that at least 637 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the Gaza war began, while Israeli officials report that at least 23 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks during the same period.