The Israeli military has launched a significant operation in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, which has resulted in the deaths of at least nine Palestinians, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Israeli forces described the effort as a "counterterrorism operation," targeting the cities of Jenin and Tulkarm. Israeli security forces reported the deaths of "five armed terrorists" during both air and ground assaults. Additionally, four others were killed in an airstrike in the al-Faraa refugee camp, near Tubas.

Local reporters have indicated that the scale of the operation is unprecedented in the West Bank since the second Palestinian intifada (uprising) two decades ago. The current rise in violence across the region began following the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October, and the subsequent war in Gaza. Israeli forces have escalated their raids in the West Bank, claiming the operations are intended to curtail Palestinian attacks on both Israeli civilians and soldiers.

Israeli media has reported that hundreds of Israeli troops were involved in operations in at least four cities in the northern West Bank: Jenin, Tulkarm, Tubas, and Nablus. The Palestinian health ministry said that bodies were brought to the governmental hospitals in Tubas and Jenin. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported nine deaths across the West Bank, revising an earlier death toll of 10. Three were killed by drone strikes in Misilya, a village near Jenin, and four others by a drone strike in the al-Faraa refugee camp. The governor of Jenin earlier claimed at least 11 fatalities.

Israeli forces have sealed off most entrances to Jenin, allowing access through only one entry point, and checkpoints have been established. The health ministry accused Israeli forces of surrounding Jenin's government hospital, the nearby Ibn Sina hospital, as well as the offices of the Palestinian Red Crescent and the Friends of the Patients society. It also warned that any attempt to storm the hospitals could put patients and medical personnel at risk. A local journalist inside the hospital described the situation as tense, with patients being allowed to leave only after their IDs were checked by Israeli forces.

The health ministry has also accused Israeli forces of obstructing ambulance services, which it claims is a breach of international law. Troops have been conducting searches in the Jenin refugee camp, a known hub for armed groups, though local residents have not observed any active confrontations with Israeli forces as of yet.

In addition to military action on the ground, Israeli armoured bulldozers have reportedly destroyed the main street of the Jenin camp and blocked the entrance with rubble. The IDF, Israel's Shin Bet security agency, and the Israel Border Police released a statement that "three armed terrorists" who posed a threat in Jenin were eliminated via airstrike. In Jenin and Tulkarm, two additional "armed terrorists" were killed, and Israeli forces detained suspects, seized M-16 rifles, ammunition, and military equipment.

Additionally, in the al-Faraa refugee camp, four "armed terrorists" were killed by an airstrike, according to Israeli sources. They also confiscated weapons during the operation. Masoud Naaja, a local resident, lost two of his sons in the strike while providing water to men near his home. Naaja recounted to Reuters the swift and destructive impact of the strike, which left him and his family injured.

Elsewhere, residents of Tubas have reported an influx of Israeli military vehicles and bulldozers into the al-Faraa refugee camp, and there is widespread concern about potential escalations. An IDF spokesperson noted that their forces were targeting a mix of "terror groups and cells," though the length and scope of the operation remain undisclosed.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz issued a statement emphasizing the importance of dismantling the "Iranian-Islamic terror infrastructures" in Jenin and Tulkarm, accusing Iran of attempting to build an eastern front of terrorism by smuggling advanced weapons from Jordan. Katz called for addressing the West Bank situation with the same resolve as the Gaza conflict, even suggesting the "temporary evacuation" of Palestinian residents, a stance not previously seen in official statements.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s spokesman condemned the escalating Israeli raids, warning of "dire and dangerous results" that could impact the entire region. Hamas, which opposes Abbas’s Fatah movement, condemned the Israeli operations, framing them as part of the broader conflict in Gaza.

The UN Human Rights Office raised concerns about the operation, stating that such military actions risk exacerbating an already catastrophic situation. It pointed out that the use of airstrikes and military tactics in law enforcement operations violates human rights standards.

According to the UN, 622 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since 7 October, with the vast majority of deaths attributed to Israeli forces. Meanwhile, at least 15 Israelis, including soldiers and settlers, have died due to Palestinian attacks during the same period.