Six Palestinians were killed when Israel launched the operation in Jenin

At least six Palestinians have been killed and 35 injured after Israeli security forces launched a major operation in Jenin in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli army, police and Shin Bet security service had launched a “large and significant” operation to “eradicate terrorism” in Jenin.

Palestinian media reported that Israeli military vehicles moved into Jenin and its refugee camp on Tuesday morning after several drone attacks.

It comes after a week-long operation by Palestinian security forces against armed groups, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which they see as a challenge to their rule.

The Israeli prime minister’s statement said the operation is “another step towards achieving our goal of strengthening security” in the West Bank.

“We are systematically and decisively targeting the Iranian axis wherever it sends weapons, in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and (the) West Bank,” he added.

An Israeli military statement said the operation was called “Iron Wall” and would continue “as long as necessary.”

The governor of Jenin, Kamal Abu al-Rub, told the AFP news agency that “what is happening is the invasion of the camp.”

“It came quickly, Apache (helicopters) in the sky and Israeli military vehicles everywhere,” he added.

Since the deadly attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023 and the subsequent war in Gaza, there has been an increase in violence in the West Bank.

Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed as Israeli forces have stepped up attacks, claiming they are trying to stop deadly attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank and Israel.

Since occupying the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war, Israel has built around 160 settlements housing around 700,000 Jews. The settlements are considered illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this.