At least three Palestinians were killed and 13 others injured as Israel launched a major military operation against terrorists in the West Bank city of Jenin on Sunday night, The Times of Israel reported.
The attack, which included airstrikes and a large number of ground forces entering the city from several different directions, centered on Jenin's refugee camp, which is a hotbed for terrorists.
An Israel Defense Forces announcement said that "security forces are now engaged in a widescale effort to thwart terror throughout Jenin" and had struck "terror infrastructure" in the city.
The IDF statement added that it attacked a joint war room used by various terrorist groups, which "served as an observation post, a gathering place for armed terrorists before and after terror acts, a cache for munitions and bombs, and a communications center."
A senior Israeli government official told Kan news, "The goal of this extensive operation is to end Jenin's role as a sanctuary city for terror, and it will last as long as it needs to."
In the Gaza Strip, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh sent out a message of solidarity with Jenin and warned Israel that "the blood spilled in Jenin will determine the next stage, on all potential paths. Our people and their resistance are able to respond to this barbaric aggression."
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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