Israeli security forces began a large-scale anti-terror operation Tuesday morning in the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank region of Menashe. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported 7 killed and 9 injured so far in the intense exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and terrorists.
Hundreds of Israeli troops poured into the Jenin refugee camp Tuesday with a mission to strike Palestinian terror networks. Ground forces engaged in heavy exchanges of fire, with the IDF saying over 15 terrorists were hit.
Against the backdrop of the clashes raging in Jenin camp, Palestinian sources said Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists engaged in gunbattle with Israeli troops. Footage showed military vehicles and bulldozers heading toward the area.
One of the Palestinians killed was identified as Dr. Kamal Jabareen, who was on his way to the hospital in Jenin when he was caught in the crossfire. The Jabareen family is prominent in the West Bank, and senior Hamas member Zahar Jabareen belongs to the same clan.
The raid marks Day 228 of the war that started on Oct. 7 when terrorists from Gaza invaded Israel. The IDF stated two reserve soldiers were seriously wounded in fighting in Gaza overnight. Red alerts sounded in several Israeli communities due to rocket fire from Gaza, though no injuries were reported. According to the US Central Command, over 569 tons of humanitarian aid have been transferred to Gaza via the sea line in recent days.
In a separate incident, the Israeli Air Force carried out a targeted strike in Lebanon, killing Qassem Saqallawi, the head of Hezbollah's rocket and missile array in the coastal region. Saqallawi was responsible for planning and executing rocket launches toward Israeli civilian areas. His role focused on advancing and planning rocket and anti-aircraft missile launches toward Israel from Lebanon's coast.
Ongoing clashes in Gaza
An IDF spokesman stated, "Our forces continue combat operations across the Gaza Strip; a terrorist cell that fired at troops was neutralized. The 98th Division is fighting in the heart of Jabalia camp. Combat teams from the Paratroopers and 460th Brigades are operating and eliminated several terrorists over the past day."
A 7th Brigade combat team guided aircraft to strike and eliminate another terrorist cell firing at forces, the military said. Other clashes were reported in the town of Rafah in southern Gaza, where the IDF's Givati Brigade identified a terrorist firing mortar shells at troops before he was targeted by an airstrike. The 401st Brigade also reported eliminating several terrorists and uncovering weapons caches. Red alerts sounded Tuesday morning in the Western Galilee region warning of a potential breach of Israeli airspace by hostile aircraft, though no further details were provided.
