The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have launched a military operation in the cities of Tubas and Tamoun in the West Bank. According to reports from the Palestinian news agency WAFA, the IDF deployed combat vehicles to these areas, leading to exchanges of gunfire and street battles.
In Tubas, Israeli patrols clashed with local militants, resulting in intense fighting. Similarly, street battles erupted in Tamoun as Israeli patrols arrived with a military bulldozer.
The situation in the Middle East has escalated following the infiltration of thousands of Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory on October 7th, as part of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation. The militants also took over 200 hostages. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a state of war, naming the Israeli operation “Iron Swords.”
Since the beginning of the operation, Israel has carried out massive missile strikes on the Gaza Strip, cutting off the supply of water, food, electricity, and fuel to the enclave. Humanitarian aid to Gaza has only been allowed through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt since October 20th.
On October 27th, Israel announced the “expansion” of its ground operation in Gaza. Prior to the operation, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians evacuated their homes and sought refuge in shelters or migrated to the southern part of the enclave. The fighting in the center of Gaza is still ongoing.
Earlier reports indicated that an ultra-right-wing Jewish Orthodox figure would be in charge of the West Bank.
