Israeli forces arrest 37, kill 8 terrorists in massive 2-day counter-terror operation in Tulkarm

Israel aims to keep West Bank quiet amid ongoing Gaza War

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The Israeli army on Friday morning announced the end of a massive counter-terror operation in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, after more than 45 hours of uninterrupted activity.

Large Israeli forces, including IDF soldiers, Israel Police and Border Police officers, as well as members of the internal security service Shin Bet, attempted to root out the terror networks in one of the West Bank’s most hostile areas.

During the operation, one Israeli reserve soldier was seriously wounded by armed terrorists who were shooting and throwing explosive devices at the soldiers.

The special counter-terror unit 636 directed an aircraft and eliminated four of the terrorists in an airstrike.

Part of the terrorist squad initially escaped but was found later and its members were either killed or captured. Overall, eight terrorists were killed in armed clashes during the operation.

The IDF said that some 1,000 buildings in the Tulkarm refugee camp had been searched for weapons, military equipment and hiding places.

Over 400 explosive charges were discovered, with dozens found planted under the streets of the camp in preparation to attack the security forces’ vehicles.

The hidden charges were discovered by heavy engineering tools that tore up the main streets of the camp, a practice that is increasingly being used by Israeli forces operating in West Bank towns due to the increase in roadside bomb attacks.

Israeli authorities interrogated hundreds of suspects and arrested 37 for further questioning, including senior members of the local terror networks.

Five laboratories for manufacturing explosives and four observation posts were destroyed, and 27 weapons and a large amount of military equipment were confiscated and destroyed.

The Israeli army ramped up its counter-terror operations considerably in Judea and Samaria in the wake of the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, including the use of reserve forces that were called up after Oct. 7.

Last week, the IDF announced that the elite Duvdevan commando unit was being redeployed to the West Bank to strengthen the forces there after the unit fought under the 89th Division in Khan Younis for over two months.