The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced a significant operation in the West Bank this week, resulting in the deaths of nine militants. The operation, which took place in the city of Jenin, targeted individuals identified as militants by the IDF.
According to IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, three militants were killed in an airstrike in Tulkarem, while four others lost their lives in an airstrike in Al-Faraa. The remaining two militants were killed by Israeli soldiers on the ground.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz took to social media to explain that the objective of the operation was to disrupt Iranian 'terrorist infrastructure' within the West Bank. Katz emphasized the need to address this threat similarly to how Israel deals with terrorist activities in Gaza.
The West Bank operation followed a successful rescue mission carried out by the IDF in Gaza, where a hostage, Qaid Farhan Alkadi, was freed from captivity. The rescue operation, led by Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, involved a coordinated effort by various Israeli military units, including combatants from the 401st Brigade, 162nd Division, and Shayetet 13.
Additionally, members of the engineering combat spec-ops unit Yahalom and intelligence operatives from the Israel Security Agency played crucial roles in the rescue mission. Alkadi, who had been held in Gaza for nearly a year, was safely returned to his family in Israel.
Due to security concerns, specific details about the rescue operation have not been disclosed. Minister Gallant reiterated Israel's commitment to utilizing all available opportunities to bring hostages back home safely.
