The Israeli military targeted the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank after announcing it would step up airstrikes on Gaza ahead of a planned ground attack.
According to reports, the airstrike targeted a mosque associated with the Jenin Brigade, which Israel has labeled an “underground terrorist group.” al Jazeera on Sunday.
According to Israeli sources, the al-Ansar mosque was linked to the Jenin Brigade, which Israel termed an “underground terrorist group” and said they were “neutralized” in the attack, without giving details about the number of people killed or their identities. “It was done.
Mahmoud al-Saadi, director of the Red Crescent in Jenin, was quoted by the Palestinian News Agency Loyalty He said one person was martyred and three others were injured in the attack.
According to Israeli reports, dozens of people have been martyred in the West Bank by Israeli soldiers or settlers since October 7, when Hamas fighters attacked into Israel and killed at least 1,400 people, most of them civilians.
Meanwhile, Israel has retaliated with heavy bombardment of the Gaza Strip, killing more than 4,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including more than 1,000 children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
According to al Jazeera According to correspondent Sarah Khairat, the airstrike “stunned” residents, but it appears there may be more to come.
“Witnesses spoke to us and said they saw an F-fighter jet in the sky, they heard it and then the Israeli military confirmed it was an airstrike,” Khairat said live from Ramallah.
He said the mosque was the site of a two-day Israeli siege in July, when Israeli forces found a network of tunnels and seized equipment, drones and ammunition.
Following the attack, some residents received text messages on their phones warning them to avoid associating with the Jenin Brigades, one of the largest and most popular groups in the West Bank.
It was also said in the messages to keep the children at home. al Jazeera informed of.
There are also unconfirmed reports that an Israeli officer telephoned residents and told them to hand over their “youth” to the police by 7 am.
Jenin, a Palestinian camp in Israel, has faced Israeli opposition since 2002, including incidents such as killings al Jazeera Journalist Shirin Abu Aqleh last year.
However, with Israel’s latest incursions, Palestinians in Jenin are being re-introduced to aerial terror in densely populated areas, leading to the displacement of refugees already in Gaza.
This highlights the ongoing Israeli opposition and the need for more effective strategies to address these issues.
US sends more air defense systems to the Middle East
In response to recent attacks on US troops in the region, the Pentagon said on Saturday that the US will send a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and additional Patriot air defense missile system battalions to the Middle East.
The US has sent a large naval force to the Middle East in recent weeks, including two aircraft carriers, their support ships and about 2,000 Marines.
Washington is on alert for activity by Iran-backed groups as regional tensions rise during the Israel-Hamas war. reuters informed of.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, “After a detailed discussion with President (Joe) Biden on the recent escalation by Iran and its proxy forces in the Middle East region, today I announced a series of additional steps to further strengthen the Department of Defense in the region.” Instructed.” Said in a statement.
Austin said he was deploying additional troops on deployment readiness orders, but did not say how many. The Pentagon has already placed about 2,000 troops in a state of readiness if needed to deploy to the region.
“These steps will boost regional deterrence efforts, enhance force protection for U.S. forces in the region, and assist in Israel’s defense,” Austin said.
The deployment comes two years after Biden’s administration withdrew air defense systems from the Middle East, citing a reduction in tensions with Iran.
