Israeli forces hit Jenin with drone strikes in large-scale military operation

Israeli forces, in one of the most intense incursions in the last 20 years, hit the city of Jenin with drone strikes on Monday, claiming the lives of at least eight people.

Jenin Brigades, a unit made up of militant groups based in the city's crowded refugee camp, said that it was engaging Israeli forces and had also shot down one of the unmanned aircraft, as per news agency Reuters reports.

Multiple drone strikes leave Palestinians dead and injured

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According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least three Palestinians have been killed, and over 20 others have sustained injuries during the ongoing raid.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) stated that its objective is to target "terrorist infrastructure in the Jenin area." It emphasised its determination to combat terrorists who exploit the Jenin Camp as a hiding place, labelling it a "terrorist stronghold."

According to Lt ColRichard Hecht, an army spokesperson who spoke to the Associated Press,the military operation commenced shortly after 1 amwith an airstrike targeting a building that militants were utilising for planning attacks. The primary objective of the operation, as stated by Hecht, was to eliminate and seize weapons.

"We're not planning to hold ground.We're acting against specific targets," he said.

The Jenin Battalion, a military coalition comprising armed members from Palestinian groups Fatah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad, declared its resolute opposition to the occupation forces. It pledged to unite across factions and military formations, vowing to confront the Israeli army until its last breath and bullet.

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Within the camp's alleys, numerous armed and masked Palestinians have been deployed. Local resident Ahmed Zaki reported that "columns of Israeli army vehicles penetrated the outskirts of the camp from several streets." Ambulance driver Khaled Alahmad described the situation as a "real war," with frequent airstrikes targeting the camp. He shared that ambulances are continuously shuttling injured individuals, returning full each time.

Last month, the Israeli military conducted a raid on the Jenin camp, resulting in the deaths of at least six Palestinians. It marked a rare occurrence of attack helicopters being deployed in the West Bank. During that operation, seven Israeli soldiers and border police officers sustained injuries.

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