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Photo:
A rocket that landed in northern Israel, in April.Credit: Fadi Amun Published by Haaretz

A Palestinian explosive detonates on an Israeli armoured vehicle during an Israeli army raid in Jenin, in June.Credit: Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP Published by Haaretz
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Israeli military reports no casualties as security forces launch an investigation and search of the area. The incident follows a number of IDF raids in the West Bank city of Jenin, that were met with severe clashes

by Yaniv Kubovich, Jack Khoury, and Adi Hashmonai for Haaretz
Jun 26, 2023

A rocket launched Monday morning from the Jenin area in the West Bank towards Israeli territory exploded in the West Bank, the Israeli military said.

There were no casualties, according to the IDF. Security forces launched an investigation and search of the area.

A Hamas faction operating in the Jenin area published a video showing rocket fire. According to the faction, the rocket was aimed at Israeli communities bordering the West Bank, but this has not been confirmed by Israel's military.

The head of the Gilboa Regional Council, Oved Nur, who is responsible for the border communities, said that he has been warning for three years about "increasing motivation and ability to strike from the direction of Jenin," and lamented that the council does not receive proper consideration for the protection of its residents. He demanded an increase in security and protection measures for these communities.

The faction identified themselves as the Al-Ayyash Battalion, named after Hamas engineer Yahya Ayyash, who developed the explosive belts carried by suicide bombers, and was assassinated by security forces in 1996.

In recent months, Israeli security forces have conducted several operations in the city of Jenin. Last Monday, severe clashes broke out between the forces and Palestinian militants. Seven IDF soldiers and Border Police officers were reported wounded. Additionally, six Palestinians were killed – including a 15-year-old boy and girl.

In March, four Palestinians were killed during an operation to make arrests in the city, and a 14-year-old boy was killed during an operation in February.

Right-wing ministers and MKs have been putting pressure recently on the security establishment to launch a large-scale military operation in the West Bank. This pressure is permeating the security establishment and IDF itself, creating tension among senior officials, many of whom say that there is not a broad consensus regarding the need for a military operation.

According to these officials, while there is current support from senior officials in Central Command for an extensive operation in the northern West Bank, IDF Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi supports the position that such an operation would be a mistake. He notes that it would likely spill over onto other fronts, especially Gaza.

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