The Israeli military on Wednesday announced the launch of a new “counterterrorism” operation targeting areas in the north of the occupied West Bank. In a joint statement, the army and the internal security service said they had begun operations in “northern Samaria”, using the Israeli biblical term for the region.
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Responding to AFP, the military clarified that this was a fresh operation and not linked to the earlier offensive launched in January 2025, which Israel said was aimed at countering terrorism. The new mission is focused primarily on Palestinian refugee camps, which Israeli forces frequently describe as hubs of militant activity.
Violence in the West Bank — under Israeli occupation since 1967 — has surged dramatically since the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel ignited the Gaza war. Despite a fragile truce in Gaza that has technically been in place since October 10, unrest and military raids across the West Bank have continued uninterrupted.
IDF LAUNCHES MAJOR COUNTER-TERROR OPERATION IN NORTHERN SAMARIA
Overnight, IDF, Shin Bet, and Border Police began a wide-scale operation in the Tubas district to thwart terror networks.
• Residents ordered to stay indoors
• Schools & government offices closed
• Activity… pic.twitter.com/RRDuFcyU4t— Mossad Commentary (@MOSSADil) November 26, 2025
According to an AFP tally based on figures from the Palestinian health ministry, more than 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli troops or settlers since the start of the Gaza onslaught. Many others have been injured, arrested, or displaced amid intensified Israeli raids and settler violence.
Israeli authorities report that at least 44 Israelis — including both soldiers and civilians — have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations in the West Bank during the same period. The escalating violence has raised concerns among international observers, who warn that continued instability in the territory risks further deepening the regional crisis.
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As the new operation unfolds, Palestinian residents in the affected areas are bracing for additional raids, road closures, and arrests — developments that have become increasingly routine amid the prolonged conflict.