Jerusalem: The Israeli military said on Friday it had targeted a militant from the rebel group, Hamas in an air strike in the occupied West Bank who was on his way to 'carry out an attack'.
The Palestinian news agency WAFA said a 17-year-old was also killed in the strike late on Thursday in the city of Jenin, with more than a dozen others injured.
The Israeli military said the strike targeted Yasser Hanoun, who had carried out several shooting attacks over the past few weeks.
Violence in the West Bank, one among the territories Palestinians want to be independent, was on the rise before the Gaza war and has increased since, with frequent Israeli arrest raids and often deadly clashes.
Israel began its military offensive in Gaza after militants from Hamas-ruled Gaza killed 1,200 people and took 253 hostages in southern Israel on October 7, according to Israeli tallies.
The offensive against Hamas has killed more than 29,000 Palestinians, including over 10,000 children, according to local authorities, laying much of the enclave to waste and displacing most of its 2.3 million population.
Israel says its goal is to eliminate Hamas, a group fighting against Israel for Palestinian independence.
Published 23 February 2024, 06:42 IST