The Israeli military operation in the densely populated West Bank has been provisionally ended and the army withdrew on Tuesday evening. According to Palestinian reports, when the first soldiers already left the city, there were fierce firefights between the army and armed residents and several explosions. According to the army, one soldier was killed. A few hours later, sirens were blaring in Israel: now rockets were being fired from the Gaza Strip.
According to the army, the military operation – one of the largest in the West Bank in decades – aimed to destroy the “terrorist infrastructure” in the stronghold of militant Islamists. At least 12 Palestinians were killed and more than 100 injured. The army said the dead were armed fighters. In addition, command centers, weapons depots and weapons production facilities were destroyed and 30 suspects were arrested.
Attack in Tel Aviv, rockets from Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated on Tuesday afternoon that the mission in Jenin would soon end. At the same time, however, he made it clear that the action was “not a one-time process, we will continue as long as it takes.” Defense Secretary Joav Galant said Jenin had become a hotbed for terrorism over the past two years — that’s over now. In recent years, several residents of the city have carried out attacks on Israelis. Moments later, there were retaliations. A Palestinian attacker injured at least seven people in an attack in Tel Aviv. He crashed into a group of pedestrians at a bus stop and then stabbed them. According to Israeli media reports, one of the injured lost her unborn child after the attack. After the attack, Hamas spoke of a “first response” to what happened in Jenin. The attacker, shot down a little later, was therefore a member of the Palestinian organization.
In the evening, five grenades were fired from the Gaza Strip into the Israeli border area. The Israeli army said its air defenses were able to intercept all missiles. Multiple explosions were heard in the area, believed to be caused by the Iron Dome missile defense system. So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Shortly thereafter, Israeli fighter jets carried out airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, hitting an underground weapons production facility and a Hamas missile factory, according to the military. The extremist Palestinian organization has ruled the Gaza Strip by force since taking power in 2007 and has denied the State of Israel its right to exist. More than two million people live in very poor conditions in the severely closed off coastal area.
The germ cells of militant Palestinians
Like the Gaza Strip, the region around Jenin and the refugee camp there, with some 17,000 inhabitants, has long been regarded as a breeding ground for militant Palestinians. In addition to Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other loose extremist groups have also gained influence there. They are largely funded by Iran, Israel’s nemesis.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
