At least nine Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the north of the occupied West Bank, Palestinian health officials say.<\/p>\n
However, the true figure could be higher, with Palestinian officials earlier saying that at least 11 people had been killed since the Israeli operation began at midnight local time.<\/p>\n
Israeli security forces said they were carrying out “a counterterrorism operation to thwart terror” in Jenin and Tulkarm.<\/p>\n
This appears to be a major Israeli operation, with at least four Palestinian cities being targeted at the same time – Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus and Tubas.
\nIsraeli forces conduct regular raids in the West Bank but this one seems more far-reaching than most.<\/p>\n
It is believed to be the first time since the second intifada – a major Palestinian uprising from 2000 to 2005 – that several Palestinian cities have been targeted simultaneously in this way.<\/p>\n
The West Bank is a chunk of land located on the west bank of the River Jordan and bounded by Israel to the north, west and south. To its east lies Jordan.<\/p>\n
It has been occupied by Israel since the 1967 Middle East war, but decades of difficult on-off talks between Israel and the Palestinians – both of whom assert rights there – have left its final status unresolved.<\/p>\n