The Israeli military confirms the death of five militants, including a well-known local commander, during an operation in the West Bank early Thursday. The operation, part of Israel’s ongoing military actions in the region, targeted the Nur Shams refugee camp on the outskirts of Tulkarem, where Mohammed Jaber, known as Abu Shujaa, a commander in the Islamic Jihad militant group, was reportedly killed.
The operation, which included airstrikes and ground raids, is one of the most significant military actions carried out by Israel in the occupied West Bank in recent years. While the Israeli military has confirmed the death of Jaber, there has been no immediate Palestinian confirmation of his death. The Islamic Jihad group has been a primary target in Israel’s efforts to dismantle what it describes as “Islamic-Iranian terrorist infrastructure” in the West Bank.
The escalation follows a series of daily raids by Israeli forces in the West Bank, which have intensified since the October 7th Hamas attacks. The latest operation marks a significant escalation, with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society reporting that ten people were killed and nearly two dozen injured during the raids.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen defended the military’s actions, stating that the operation was necessary to counter the ongoing threat posed by militant groups in the West Bank. “We must deal with the threat just as we deal with the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza,” Cohen said, drawing parallels between the operations in the West Bank and those in the Gaza Strip.
The situation in the West Bank remains tense, with both sides bracing for further confrontations. The Israeli military has indicated that it will continue its operations as long as it perceives a threat from militant groups in the region.
