Israel says it attacked an underground production facility for military missiles belonging to the radical Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip with warplanes on Friday night. The Israeli army said on Twitter that the attack was in response to two rockets fired from Palestinian territory.
The two missiles were intercepted. In southern Israel, alarm sirens blared at night. The Israeli media reported, citing political circles, that one should be prepared for a possible escalation of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
Ten people were killed in clashes with the Israeli army in the West Bank on Thursday, according to Palestinian sources. According to the Ramallah health ministry, nine people were killed in a raid in the city of Jenin that morning. Dozens of others were injured, including four seriously.
Fear of escalation
It was one of the deadliest Palestinian Authority military operations in years. In the afternoon, a 22-year-old man was shot dead north of Jerusalem during clashes with Israeli soldiers.
The bloodshed fuels fears of a further escalation of the already tense security situation in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
The Israeli army said troops fired on Thursday morning in Jenin as they attempted to arrest several members of the militant Palestinian organization Islamic Jihad. Three armed suspects were hit by bullets during a shootout and others were arrested. The Palestinians are suspected of planning a terrorist attack.
According to media reports, eight armed fighters and a 61-year-old woman were among the dead. Jenin is considered a stronghold of militant Palestinians.
Collaboration ended
The Palestinian Authority announced in the evening that it would cooperate with Israel in the security field. The authority cited Israel’s unilateral steps and measures in the West Bank and the Jenin incidents as reasons. The Autonomy Authority had made similar announcements on previous occasions, but these were not actually implemented.
Islamic Jihad is particularly active in the Gaza Strip, from where it regularly launches rocket attacks against Israel. In the summer, the Israeli army launched a large-scale military operation against leading members of Islamic Jihad. They then ordered more than 1,000 rockets to be fired from the Gaza Strip at Israeli cities. After three days of fighting, a ceasefire was agreed. More than 40 people were killed and hundreds injured in the Gaza Strip.
A statement from Hamas, the ruling party in the Gaza Strip, said on Thursday: “The Israeli occupation will pay the price for the Jenin massacre.” An answer is not long in coming. Hamas is classified as a terrorist organization by the EU.
The situation in the West Bank has been tense for some time. Since a series of attacks by Palestinians in the past year, the Israeli army has been carrying out more raids there. Already this year, 30 Palestinians have been killed in connection with military operations or their own attacks, including five young people. Last year there were 172, the same number as in 2006.
Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967. Today, more than 600,000 Israeli settlers live there. The Palestinians claim the territories for an independent state of Palestine with the Arab-influenced eastern part of Jerusalem as its capital. (sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
