In a significant development, the Israeli military announced an airstrike near the West Bank town of Jenin on Tuesday, stating it had resulted in the deaths of three militants. This marks the first such aerial attack on the Palestinian territory in several months, as reported by local security officials.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a group allied with Hamas, confirmed the fatalities. In their statement, they attributed the deaths to “sniper fire and aerial bombardment” but did not specify if the individuals killed were members of their organization.
This recent strike in the Israeli-occupied West Bank unfolds amidst ongoing friction between Israelis and Palestinians. Tensions have remained high since a ceasefire three weeks prior in the Gaza Strip, an agreement frequently tested by renewed bursts of violence and challenges in the repatriation of deceased captives between Israel and Hamas.
Furthermore, the Israeli-occupied West Bank has witnessed a dramatic surge in settler violence, reaching unprecedented levels. This alarming trend, already on the rise before the conflict in Gaza, has become increasingly commonplace.
Accounts of Tuesday’s incident differ. Israel characterized the operation as a counterterrorism measure, asserting its military neutralized the men within a cave near the village of Kafr Qud. In contrast, Palestinian Islamic Jihad reported the strike targeted a residential home.
The Israeli military has yet to address the discrepancies in these narratives. Officials from the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, confirmed this as the first airstrike in the region since February 8.
The West Bank and East Jerusalem are home to approximately three million Palestinians, alongside about 700,000 Jewish settlers residing in settlements widely considered illegal by the international community.
The first half of this year saw more than 750 assaults on Palestinians and their property in the West Bank by extremist settlers, or an average of nearly 130 attacks each month. This represents the highest monthly average recorded since the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs began tracking such incidents in 2006.
Since the war in Gaza began, the Israeli government, partly influenced by prominent settler activists, has intensified its efforts to solidify its control over the West Bank.
While political allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have advocated for the annexation of all or part of the territory, the Trump administration recently clarified its opposition to such a move.
Fatima AbdulKarim contributed to this report.