The Israeli military said it killed at least three Palestinians militants in a wave of raids across the West Bank overnight.
Why It Matters
The West Bank is home to approximately three million Palestinians and over 500,000 Israeli settlers, and remains under Israeli military control.
The territory has become increasingly volatile over the past year—the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports an average of four violent incidents a day.
Over 800 Palestinians have been killed there since the war in Gaza began, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, with most deaths reportedly occurring during Israeli military operations or clashes with militants.
What To Know
The Israeli military said it killed two Palestinian militants in an airstrike after they fired at troops in the area of Tamun, a village in the northern West Bank.
The army said it killed another militant in "close quarters combat" in the nearby village of Taluza and that an Israeli soldier was severely wounded there.
West Bank Bus Ambush
There was a shooting the day before the raids, in which gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Israelis in the West Bank.
Two women in their 70s and a 35-year-old police officer were killed.
The military said that the raids were not connected and Israeli forces were pursuing those attackers in separate operations.
Conflict in the West Bank
There have been a series of shooting, stabbing and car-ramming attacks against Israelis during the past 15 months of the Israel-Hamas war.
Israel has launched near-nightly military raids across the territory that frequently trigger gunbattles with militants and have also killed civilians.
There has also been a sharp rise in attacks on Palestinians by Israeli settlers, leading the United States to impose sanctions.
Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war, and many Palestinians want it to form the main part of their future state.
How Did the Most Recent Conflict Between Israel and Hamas Start?
The conflict began nearly 15 months ago when Hamas-led militants launched a massive surprise attack across the border, killing approximately 1,200 people—primarily civilians—and abducting around 250. Of the hostages taken, around 100 remain in Gaza, with at least a third believed to be deceased.
Israel's ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of over 45,800 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry of Gaza, who report that women and children constitute more than half the fatalities. The figures do not distinguish how many of the dead were militants.
What People Are Saying
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a post on X after the bus attack: "We will reach the despicable murderers and hold them, as well as anyone who assisted them, accountable. No one will be spared."
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir instructed the military to "act with force" to find the attackers in a post on X. "We will not tolerate a Gaza-like reality in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), and anyone who follows Hamas' path in Gaza and enables or shelters the murder and harm of Jews will pay a heavy price."
What Happens Next
Raids by the Israeli military in the West Bank and attacks on Israelis are likely to continue while diplomatic efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza have stalled.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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