Israeli forces, supported by drones and armored vehicles, conducted extensive raids in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday (28 August), targeting militant strongholds in the cities of Jenin and Tulkarm. The raids, which mark a growing third front in Israel’s ongoing conflicts, resulted in the deaths of at least 10 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Israeli officials reported that nine of the deceased were militants. This operation is part of an increasingly deadly campaign that has seen over 600 Palestinians killed in the West Bank since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 07 October, with violence involving both the Israeli military and extremist Jewish settlers.
The raids occurred amid ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza, where ground troops have pushed into Khan Younis, and Israeli strikes reportedly killed 58 Palestinians in the past day. The military also announced the recovery of a soldier’s body, kidnapped during the October 7 attack, though details about whether the soldier was alive at the time of capture remain unclear. Additionally, Israeli forces have been involved in cross-border strikes with Hezbollah in Lebanon and targeted an alleged terrorist on the Syria-Lebanon border.
In a related development, the United Nations reported that one of its marked humanitarian vehicles was hit by Israeli gunfire in Gaza. Although no injuries were reported, the incident led to the suspension of staff movements in the area by the World Food Program. The Israeli Defense Force stated that the incident is under review.
This escalation highlights the broad geographic scope of the conflict, with Israeli actions extending from Gaza and the West Bank to the borders of Syria and Lebanon, yet these efforts have not succeeded in suppressing the armed groups operating in the West Bank, leaving many Palestinian civilians caught in the crossfire.
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