Israeli forces and Palestinian terrorists fought in the Jenin refugee camp on Tuesday night, the latest flare-up in the flashpoint northern Samaria region.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that troops were operating in the camp and that a “suicide drone” targeted a terrorist there.
Elite military forces were spearheading the operation on the ground, targeting a senior commander in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, which is affiliated with Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah faction.
The local branch of Palestinian Islamic Jihad said its terrorists opened fire at the Israeli forces and detonated explosive devices in the area.
The P.A. Health Ministry said four Palestinians were killed and more than 10 others were wounded in the battle.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is in New York City for the United Nations General Assembly, was being updated on the situation, his office said.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was also briefed on the developments; he praised the forces “for taking the measures necessary to thwart terrorist activities.”
Earlier this month, IDF troops arrested three Hamas terrorists during a raid in the camp. All of them were involved in “extensive” terrorist activity and perpetrated or directed IED and shooting attacks, according to the military.
Less than 48 hours later, Israeli forces arrested another wanted terrorist in the camp, which has become a breeding ground for Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
In July, the military carried out a major counterterrorism operation in Jenin, including in the camp.
More than 1,000 IDF soldiers participated in the operation, which is believed to have been the largest deployment in Judea and Samaria in two decades.
