Latest military offensive in Jenin could last days, claims Israeli military

Gun battles between Palestinian fighters in Jenin and the Israeli military are ongoing. At least nine Palestinians have been killed, eight in Jenin and one in Ramallah, the Palestinian health ministry said. That number is likely to climb. Over twenty-seven injuries were also reported, many in critical condition. 

One video attributed to the Israeli army incursion in Jenin showed three young Palestinian men lying motionless between two cars. 

The Israeli media reports that at least twenty Palestinians have been arrested by the Israeli military; however, there are no figures on the number of detained from the Palestinian side in the current operation thus far. 

One Israeli soldier was "lightly" injured by shrapnel and transported to a hospital for treatment. 

Meanwhile, the Israeli military claimed it had conducted at least ten drone strikes in Jenin targeting militants and a weapon manufacturing facility. 

A rocket launcher and other weaponry were also seized in the operation, claimed an Israeli military spokesperson. 

The "Brigade-level" military operation comes two weeks after an Israeli army raid in Jenin refugee camp left seven people dead and saw the rare use of helicopter missile fire.

Israel cited the use of roadside bombs, explosives and a recent failed rocket attack as the main reason for the current military operation in the northern occupied West Bank. The Israeli army did not specify a timeline for its end. 

A former Israeli spokesperson said a similar operation took place in April 2022. 

Alarmed by scale of Israeli forces operation in #Jenin, occupied #WestBank. Airstrikes were used in the densely populated refugee camp. Several dead and critically wounded. Access to all injured must be ensured. @ochaopt is mobilising #humanitarian partners to provide assistance

— Lynn Hastings (@LynnHastings) July 3, 2023

Israeli politicians from the far-right ruling coalition, including Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, have pressed the Israeli government for a wide-scale operation in the occupied West Bank.

A former Israeli representative to the UN has likened the northern West Bank to southern Lebanon in the scope and quality of the attacks against the settlers and the Israeli army.

"This is the time to give the green light to the IDF forces to act and clean up the nests of terrorism", MK Danny Danon recently tweeted. 

The Israeli army has arrested 291 Palestinians in the Jenin area since the start of the year, according to Palestinian sources.