Five Palestinians killed in Israeli military operation in West Bank

The Israeli military said five Palestinians were killed during an army operation early Thursday in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.

The military said its forces located several armed men inside a building in the town of Tamun, leading to an exchange of fire. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah confirmed the death toll.

According to the Israeli military, the men were affiliated with terrorist groups operating in Tamun and the nearby city of Tubas.

Soldiers discovered multiple weapons during a search of the building, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said, adding that one Palestinian was also taken into custody during the raid.

Tensions in the West Bank have intensified since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. Since then, 921 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli operations, armed clashes or attacks by extremists, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

The period has also seen a surge in violence by radical Israeli settlers targeting Palestinian civilians.