On Wednesday, the Israeli Army conducted a rare drone strike in the occupied West Bank, resulting in the deaths of three members of a “terrorist cell.”
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) acted based on received intelligence and identified the cell inside a suspicious vehicle after they had carried out a shooting near the town of Jalamah, close to Jenin in the northern West Bank.
According to a statement from the Israeli military, “IDF soldiers identified a terrorist cell inside a suspicious vehicle after the cell carried out a shooting adjacent to the town of Jalamah. Following the identification of the terrorist cell, an IDF UAV fired toward the cell and thwarted them.”
Jenin Deputy Governor Kamal Abu al-Roub confirmed the killings, stating that there were “three dismembered bodies” inside the targeted car that had been hit by drone missiles.
It is noteworthy that aerial strikes have been rare in the West Bank despite ongoing hostilities between the two sides. According to Palestinian agencies, this is the first Israeli strike in the West Bank since August 2006.
In February, Israel conducted a rare daytime arrest operation in the occupied West Bank, triggering fighting that resulted in the deaths of at least 11 people and the injury of over 100. Prior to the ground operation, both sides had exchanged projectiles causing significant damage. This escalation was considered one of the deadliest in the West Bank since 2005.
The drone strike comes shortly after the Benjamin Netanyahu coalition government presented plans to approve 4,650 housing units in the occupied West Bank. These plans are scheduled for discussion in Israel’s Supreme Planning Council meeting next week.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also plays a significant role in overseeing West Bank administration, stated, “We will continue to develop the settlement and strengthen the Israeli hold on the territory.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern, describing the situation in the Palestinian territory as the “most combustible in a year” and emphasizing the need to prevent further escalation and restore calm.
Under Israeli occupation since the Six-Day War of 1967, the Israeli government’s policies and recent escalations have heightened tensions in the region.
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