Israel has expanded its military raids in response to increasing Palestinian militant attacks, including shootings targeting Israelis. The Israeli military launched an airstrike in the northern West Bank, killing at least 10 people, according to Palestinian health officials.
The military stated that intelligence led to the strike, which targeted a Palestinian militant cell. This airstrike, carried out in the rural village of Tamoun late Wednesday, marks an escalation in Israel’s ongoing crackdown on Palestinian militants.
Residents of Tamoun reported that the airstrike hit a home in a densely populated neighborhood. The Palestinian Health Ministry warned that the number of casualties could rise.
Escalation in Jenin and Palestinian Responses
The ongoing Israeli raid in the Jenin refugee camp has killed at least 18 Palestinians. Palestinian officials argue that these large-scale military operations increase resentment toward Israel and fuel further violence.
Hamas mourned those killed in Tamoun but did not claim them as members. In a statement, it urged Palestinians across Israel and the occupied West Bank to mobilize against Israel, calling for retaliation.
Israel’s Defense Minister announced that troops would remain in Jenin indefinitely. Israel Katz vowed that Jenin’s refugee camp, long seen as a stronghold for Palestinian militants, “will not return to what it was.”
Growing Death Toll and Civilian Casualties
The Israeli military reported that its forces killed 18 alleged militants during the nine-day operation in Jenin. Armored bulldozers have demolished numerous homes, causing significant destruction.
Palestinian health authorities have not released a definitive death toll but estimate around 20 Palestinians have been killed since the raid began, including a two-year-old girl. The Israeli military pledged to investigate her death.
Overnight and into Wednesday, Israeli fire killed two more Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. A 23-year-old man was fatally shot in Tulkarem, while a 25-year-old man died in an airstrike on Jenin. The Palestinian Health Ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its reports.
