The Israeli military on Wednesday continued  a large-scale military operation in and around the West Bank city of Jenin, called a stronghold of Palestinian militants.

According to the military, "over 10 terrorists" had been killed, several "terror infrastructure sites" targeted and roadside bombs defused since the operation was launched on Tuesday.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said 10 people had been killed so far and at least 40 injured.

The operation follows an escalation of violence in the West Bank since a deadly Hamas-led attack in southern Israel in October 2023 led to the current war in the Gaza Strip, which is de facto ruled by Hamas.

The fighting in Jenin comes just days after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in Gaza.

What has Israel said?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the campaign in Jenin would be "extensive and significant" and aimed to "eradicate terrorism" in Jenin.

Netanyahu indicated that the operation was part of a broader strategy of resisting Israel's archenemy Iran "wherever it sends its arms." 

The Israeli government has accused Iran of attempting to deliver weapons and funds to militants in the West Bank.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed that the assault, which is also targeting the Jenin refugee camp, would continue.

"It is a decisive operation aimed at eliminating terrorists in the camp," Katz said in a statement on Wednesday, saying that the military would not permit a "terror front" to be established there.

What have Palestinians said?

Kamal Abu al-Rub, the governor of Jenin, told the AFP news agency that the "situation is very difficult."

"The occupation [Israeli] army has bulldozed all the roads leading to the Jenin camp, and leading to the Jenin Governmental Hospital ... There is shooting and explosions," he added.

According to Abu al-Rub, Israeli forces have detained around 20 people from villages near the city.

The Israeli operation was launched just hours after a number of Israeli settlers torched homes and vehicles in two Palestinian villages, wounding more than 20 people, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

It was also preceded by a weekslong attempt by Palestinian Authority security forces to regain control of Jenin and the camp.

According to the Ramallah-based Palestinian Health Ministry, Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 848 Palestinians in the West Bank since the Gaza conflict began.

Official Israeli figures, in their turn, show that at least 29 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations in the territory during the same period.

tj/sms (AFP, dpa)