Why Is Israel Targeting Jenin, West Bank?

In the days since a cease-fire agreement took hold in the Gaza Strip, Israel has turned its attention to a Palestinian city about 75 miles northeast of the enclave — one with a long history of resistance and militant activity.On Wednesday, as some of its troops withdrew from Gaza, the Israeli military said it was pressing ahead with an operation in Jenin, a city in the northern part of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.The city has for decades been a hotbed of militancy and a target of raids by Israeli security forces.Since the war in Gaza began, Hamas has been increasingly popular and asserted its presence in the West Bank.

Iran — which backs Hamas and other militant groups in the region — has flooded the territory with weapons.And the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts the West Bank in coordination with Israel, has seen its tenuous influence further diminish.Now, Israel seems to be focusing its attention on the West Bank, and Jenin in particular.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that Israel’s latest operation was aimed at “eradicating terrorism” and that it would be “extensive and significant.”Here’s what to know about Jenin and Israel’s latest operation there.What is happening?On Wednesday, a spokeswoman for the Israeli military said that 10 militants had been “hit” during the operation in Jenin, without giving further details.Earlier, Israel said that it had killed eight militants since the start of the raid.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

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