The Israeli army, police and Shin Bet security service launched a “large-scale” operation on Tuesday, January 21, to “root out terrorism” in Jenin on the West Bank. The operation was dubbed “Iron Wall,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced.

The IDF also reported on the counter-terrorism operation in Jenin.

The Palestinian Authority’s Health Ministry reported on Tuesday that eight people were killed “as a result of Israeli aggression in Jenin.” Another 35 people were injured, the ministry added.

The military operation in Jenin, where Israel has carried out repeated raids in recent years, began two days after the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip came into effect.

Over the past few weeks, Palestinian National Authority (PNA) security forces have been conducting an operation to regain control of Jenin and the adjacent refugee camp, an important stronghold for radical armed groups in the West Bank. 

An AFP journalist reported that the Palestinian Authority forces withdrew from their positions in the camp area amid the Israeli operation. He reported the sounds of explosions and shelling in the camp.

Jenin and its refugee camp in particular are regularly targeted by Israeli operations against radical armed groups. Israeli military expert David Gendelman told The Insider that the scale of the Israeli operation in Jenin is no greater than previous ones. It is just that now, in the context of the ceasefire in Gaza, operations in the West Bank are attracting more media attention, he added.