Thursday Briefing: Israel Launches Major West Bank Raids

Hundreds of Israeli troops, backed by fleets of drones and armored vehicles, raided the occupied West Bank yesterday. Palestinians in Jenin say they have been trapped inside, fearful of Israeli snipers or of having their homes stormed by soldiers.

At least 10 Palestinians were killed, according to the Palestinian health ministry. An Israeli military spokesman said the operation would continue and was concentrated in Jenin and Tulkarm, two cities which he said had become militant strongholds.

Israel has targeted militant groups in Jenin with raids for several years, but strongholds have persisted there, my colleague, Adam Rasgon, who is based in Jerusalem, told us. But this operation, he added, appears “to be a more significant effort than usual to challenge these groups and try to undermine their hold on authority.”

Context: The raid comes as U.S., Israeli and Iranian officials have said that Tehran is trying to flood the West Bank with weapons. “We are in the first stages of this operation,” an Israeli military spokesman said.