At least nine Palestinians were killed on Wednesday, Palestinian authorities said, as Israeli forces raided the flashpoint cities of Jenin and Tulkarm as well as other areas in the occupied West Bank in a major operation involving helicopters and drones.
With Israeli forces battling Hamas fighters in Gaza and facing a major escalation of tensions with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement in southern Lebanon, Wednesday's operation underscored the multiple security threats Israel has been battling since the start of the Gaza war last year.
The armed wings of the Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Fatah factions said in separate statements their gunmen were detonating bombs against Israeli military vehicles in the three West Bank areas.
The Palestinian health ministry said troops had surrounded Jenin's main hospital, blocking off access with earth mounds - a measure the military said was intended to stop fighters seeking refuge.
