Airstrike In Occupied West Bank Kills Five Palestinian Men, Israel Claims Target was ‘Armed Terrorist Cell

An Israeli air strike in Tubas, northern West Bank, has resulted in the deaths of five Palestinian men, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Two others were injured in the strike, which targeted a car early Thursday. Israel’s military claims the strike was aimed at an “armed terrorist cell,” and armed groups have identified the deceased as fighters.

In a separate incident, the health ministry also accused the Israeli of shooting dead a 16-year-old boy nearby al-Faraa refugee camp. The military claims the boy was armed with an explosive device and was killed in an exchange of fire.

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The latest violence comes amid a nine-day Israeli military operation in northern West Bank cities, which Israel claims is a counter-terrorism effort.

At least 36 Palestinians have been killed, including 21 from Jenin governorate and eight from Tubas. Armed groups have claimed many of the dead as members, but the health ministry reports that several children are also among the victims, including a 16-year-old girl shot in her home near Jenin on Tuesday. One Israeli soldier has been killed during the fighting in Jenin.”