The Israeli military raided the occupied West Bank city of Tubas overnight, carrying out an airstrike that the Palestinian Authority’s Health Ministry said had killed five Palestinians.The New York Times reports that the Israeli military has launched fresh raids in the occupied West Bank, targeting two cities where they have recently conducted destructive and lengthy incursions. The raids, which resumed in Tulkarm after a brief pause and carried out an overnight strike on Tubas, have resulted in the deaths of at least five people, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The Israeli military stated that the operation in Tubas was aimed at targeting militants, and that their aircraft had attacked an armed terrorist squad in the area. However, the identities of those killed have not been revealed. Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that the strike killed five young Palestinian men near a mosque. The Israeli military has not yet commented on these reports.

Meanwhile, in Tulkarm, where a raid has been ongoing for two days, at least two Palestinians, including a man and a woman, were killed and several others were wounded on Tuesday. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that Israeli forces had detained five of its emergency and rescue crew members overnight while they were transporting a patient and evacuating children. The Israeli military has not responded to these claims.

The recent raids come after a 10-day campaign that had appeared to ease last week, resulting in the deaths of at least 39 people, according to Palestinian health authorities. Many Palestinians, particularly in the cities of Tulkarm and Jenin, were confined to their homes while Israeli bulldozers searched for improvised explosives planted by armed groups.

In Tubas, resident Harith al-Hasani described the early morning hours as Israeli forces stormed the city, leading to clashes and explosions. He also reported that Israeli aircraft and drones were present in the skies, while soldiers were conducting foot patrols and interrogating young men in the streets. Roads were closed with earthen barriers and homes were being raided, according to al-Hasani.

The Israeli military has defended the raids as necessary to combat rising violence in the West Bank, which has been a near-daily reality for the nearly three million Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. However, these operations have been met with criticism and condemnation from Palestinian authorities and human rights groups. 

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