At least 10 Palestinians, including two Islamic Jihad commanders, were killed Wednesday in a major IDF operation in the West Bank that also left more than 100 injured, Palestinian officials said.
In an unusual daytime raid, Israeli military forces entered Nablus in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said.
The Islamic Jihad militant group said two of its commanders were killed in ensuing clashes.
The Lion’s Den militant group also confirmed its members were involved in the fighting, but did not say if any of their members were killed.
The Israel Defense Forces said only that “security forces are currently operating in the city of Nablus” and said more details would follow. The IDF usually waits until an operation finishes before releasing a full statement.
Israel Army Radio reported that the raid was to stop an “imminent attack.”
IDF raids into the West Bank usually occur overnight; the last time the military conducted a daylight operation, they said it was because of an immediate threat.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said five of the nine killed were men in their 20s. One was in his 30s, along with a man who was 61 and one who was 72. The other two were not immediately unidentified by the ministry.
In addition, the Ministry said 104 Palestinians were injured “with live ammunition … six of them in critical condition.”
Islamic Jihad’s armed faction in Gaza, the Al Qassam Brigade, warned they are “watching the enemy’s escalating crimes against our people in the occupied West Bank, and its patience is running out.”