Extensive Israeli Army Operation in West Bank; At Least 9 Palestinians Killed

Palestinian Authority officials announced that on Wednesday, September 7, at least 9 people were killed in a large-scale operation by Israeli forces involving helicopters and drones in the cities of Jenin and Tulkarm and several other areas in the West Bank. According to Reuters, this operation by the Israeli army is considered one of the largest attacks by the country in recent months in the West Bank and follows smaller attacks in recent weeks. The Israeli army's operation in the West Bank is aimed at confronting Palestinian militant groups, including Hamas, a group supported by the Islamic Republic. Reuters reported that the operation in the West Bank is taking place while Israeli forces are engaged with Hamas militants in Gaza and are facing heightened tensions with Hezbollah in Lebanon, a group supported by the Islamic Republic in southern Lebanon. The war in Gaza began after Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 15 of last year. Following this attack, at least 1,200 people, most of whom were civilians, were killed by Hamas militants. They also took over 250 people hostage and brought them to Gaza. After the Israeli army's operation in Gaza, aimed at destroying Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon launched rockets into northern Israel in support of this group, leading to border clashes. According to Reuters, armed branches of three groups—Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Fatah—stated in separate statements that their militants attacked Israeli military vehicles in three areas of the West Bank. Meanwhile, Nadav Shoshani, a spokesman for the Israeli army, stated that Wednesday's operation was conducted following a significant increase in militant activities in recent months, with over 150 attacks involving gunfire or explosives from the Tulkarm and Jenin areas. He noted that based on the army's assessment, there is an 'immediate threat' to civilians and mentioned that the Israeli forces' operation is 'part of a broader strategy aimed at neutralizing attacks.' Nadav Shoshani told reporters that this terrorist threat in the West Bank is not new, 'it did not start yesterday and will not end tomorrow.' Meanwhile, Israel Katz, the Israeli Foreign Minister, wrote on the social media platform 'X' that the army has launched extensive operations in refugee camps in Jenin and Tulkarm since the night of September 6 to 'neutralize Islamic-Iranian terrorist infrastructures' established there. Mr. Katz accused the Islamic Republic of trying to create a terrorist front against Israel in the West Bank based on the Gaza and Lebanon model by financing and equipping terrorists and smuggling weapons from Jordan. The Israeli Foreign Minister emphasized that we must confront the 'terrorist infrastructure threat in Gaza, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents' and take 'necessary next steps.' He wrote that this war is for everything, and we must win it. Israel Katz had previously warned on August 13 about the smuggling of Iranian weapons through Jordan to the West Bank. He stated that the Iranian government's efforts to create 'a new terrorist front in the east against major population centers in Israel' has led to a 'serious and dangerous situation.'