Israeli drone strike targets Hamas cell near Jenin

The Israeli military carried out a drone strike against a Palestinian terrorist cell near Jenin in northern Samaria on Sunday morning, killing a Hamas operative responsible for a deadly shooting in the Jordan Valley last summer.

Three other terrorists were eliminated in the attack, who according to the Israel Defense Forces had carried out several shootings against Israeli communities in the Gilboa area.

The head of the cell, Wael Lahly, 31, from Qabatiya, fired at the Mehola junction on Route 90 on Aug. 11, killing Yonatan Deutsch, 23, and wounding Anas Jaramana, 32.

Following the attack, Lahlu continued to operate in Jenin, recruiting terrorists and planning to carry out additional attacks in the near future, according to the IDF.

Immediately after Sunday’s strike, IDF troops raided the area, finding three weapons on the bodies of the terrorists. Weapon parts, military vests and explosive materials were also located.

“The security forces will continue to operate to thwart every threat against the citizens of the State of Israel,” the military stated.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi emphasized during a situational assessment following the Jenin operation that Israel is acting preemptively against terrorist forces.

“We don’t wait for terrorists. We reach wherever necessary, until we eliminate those who threaten our security. Initiative and proactive action are the key to our successes here,” said Halevi.

“The offensive and preemptive efforts, such as this morning’s strike, enable us to continue fighting effectively in Lebanon, Gaza and even in more distant arenas,” he continued.

Two senior Hamas terrorists involved in the Aug. 11 murder were killed in an Israeli drone strike in Jenin days later. Two other people were killed in the strike, according to Palestinian sources.

In a joint statement on Nov. 27, the Israel Defense Forces and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) revealed that Israeli security forces had recently thwarted an attempt by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to smuggle heavy weaponry to Palestinian terrorist cells in Jenin.

On Nov. 24, Israeli forces killed two Palestinian terrorists in the town of Ya’bad, 12 miles west of Jenin in northern Samaria, according to the Palestinian Authority’s WAFA news agency.

In the first six months of 2024, Judea and Samaria saw more than 500 Arab terrorist attacks each month on average, according to data made public by Hatzalah Judea and Samaria (Rescuers Without Borders).

During that period, first responders recorded 3,272 acts of terrorism in the region, including 1,868 cases of stoning, 456 fire bombings, 299 incidents involving explosives and 109 shootings.

Terrorists murdered 14 people and wounded more than 155 others in Judea and Samaria between January and July, the rescue group said.