Israeli army launches major attack on Jenin, tensions escalate

The security situation in Israel has seen new developments on the border with Lebanon, as well as in connection with protests over judicial reforms.

Smoke rises from buildings in Jenin following an attack by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on July 3. (Source: AP)

Early on July 3 (local time), the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a large-scale military attack in the city of Jenin in the northern West Bank.

According to Palestinian witnesses, IDF soldiers and dozens of armored vehicles, supported by helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), attacked Jenin and the refugee camp there.

Clashes broke out and lasted for hours between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian gunmen. Air strikes were carried out while the two sides fought.

In an official statement, the IDF said it had attacked a command center of the Jenin Brigade, an armed unit made up of fighters from various groups. However, the force did not specify whether it used UAVs in the recent attack.

Earlier, on the evening of July 2, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting with security leaders. For his part, speaking on July 3 in Jerusalem about the goal of this campaign, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen affirmed: “Our goal is to focus on Jenin and only focus on terrorism and their cells.”

On the same day, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry criticized Netanyahu's policy of encouraging Israeli settlers to commit crimes against Palestinians. Meanwhile, the country's Health Ministry said at least three people were killed in Jenin. Another man died after being shot in the head at a checkpoint in Ramallah.

* Also on July 3, some Israeli protesters blocked the entrance to Haifa seaport and are calling for a gathering in front of Ben Gurion International Airport to protest the Government's controversial judicial reform plan.

Crowds have now blocked the entrance to the port of Haifa, Israel's largest civilian port, for an hour and a half, preventing more than 100 trucks from loading or unloading goods.

Organizers are still calling on people to overcome heavy police checks to enter the Ben Gurion airport area later that day, when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will depart for an official visit to China.

Last month, the Israeli army also carried out a major raid on the city of Jenin, leaving seven people dead.

* In related news, Radio al-Nour (Lebanon) reported that on July 2, the IDF opened fire on Lebanese people in the border area between the two countries. Specifically, the crowd gathered to protest Israel's deployment of "technical" operations along the border fence between the town of Houla (Lebanon) and the town of Menara (Israel).

According to the station, Israeli “technical” work has crossed the fence in the area of ​​the Green Line, which is considered the common border. The Lebanese army is also stationed in this area to ensure security, but has not yet responded to the situation.

* Also on July 2, IDF spokesman Avichay Adraee said that the country's fighter jets attacked a Syrian air defense battery.

According to the spokesman, the anti-aircraft battery launched a missile at the Israeli aircraft, but there were no reports of damage caused by the missile. The fighter jets then attacked other targets in the area.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/quan-doi-israel-mo-dot-tan-cong-lon-vao-jenin-cang-thang-leo-thang-233251.html