IDF soldiers in Jenin, July 3, 2023. IDF forces entered the nest of terrorists in Jenin targeting terrorists and arresting fugitives. ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES.
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JENIN, — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Monday night to press forward “for as long as necessary” with the military operation in Jenin, which he said had become “a city of refuge for terrorism.”
Netanyahu held a security assessment at the Beit Lid base with the participation of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) chief Ronen Bar.
“Our forces entered the nest of terrorists in Jenin: They are targeting terrorists. They are arresting fugitives. They are destroying command centers and seizing considerable weaponry. They are doing something else—they are destroying laboratories, of an almost industrial scale, for producing explosives, bombs and devices for killing and murdering Israeli citizens,” said Netanyahu.
“They are doing all of this in one of the most crowded places on earth and they are doing so with minimal injury to civilians, and without any injury to non-combatants. This is the directive: Take care of the security of our forces and also to avoid injury to innocents,” said Netanyahu.
The prime minister said that the operation would “add to the deterrent capability of the State of Israel, both in defending against additional terrorist attacks and in changing the equation in the area… We will continue this action as long as necessary in order to restore quiet and security for the citizens of Israel.”
Some 1,000 troops have been deployed for the mission, which has led to the arrest of more than 120 Palestinian terror suspects.
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Palestinian Authority health officials said on Tuesday morning that nine people had been killed.
“An Israeli soldier from the elite Duvdevan undercover unit was lightly wounded by grenade shrapnel during the operation, ” said the IDF. He was evacuated to the hospital for treatment and subsequently returned to the field.
Overnight Monday, Israeli forces located and destroyed grenade launchers and IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), and confiscated weapons and other military equipment.
Chief of Staff Halevi visited with troops near Jenin and conducted an assessment with commanders in the field.
An hours-long standoff between soldiers and terrorists holed up in a mosque ended on Monday evening as Israeli forces took control of the lower floor of the building.
“Soldiers entered the premises only after an exchange of fire, and found two underground pits containing weapons and explosives,” said the IDF.
Forces also located an explosives’ workshop in the Jenin refugee camp containing hundreds of IEDs, as well as mines intended for use against armored vehicles.
The IDF conducted drone strikes against various targets in the refugee camp.
“We support Israel’s security and right to defend its people against Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other terrorist groups,” said a spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council in a White House statement on Monday.
“Jenin has been the source of more than 50 shootings since the start of the year, and 59 terrorists from the city have carried out terror attacks since the beginning of 2022, killing three civilians and wounding 14 other civilians,” said the army.
On June 19, an unusually large IED wounded seven soldiers on their way out of Jenin following an arrest operation, requiring the IDF to call in gunship support to extract them. On June 22, the IDF also carried out a targeted killing of three terrorists in Samaria via a drone strike, a tactic not seen in Judea and Samaria in 20 years. That incident was followed on June 26 by the first-ever launch of a homemade rocket from Jenin.
Produced in association with Jewish News Syndicate
Edited by Judy J. Rotich and Newsdesk Manager
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