The Shin Bet and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) jointly announced on a Sunday morning that they had successfully concluded two large-scale divisional operations in the regions of Judea and Samaria, following several days of intensive counter-terrorism efforts.
These simultaneous operations targeted known terrorist strongholds in the Jenin refugee camp and the Balata refugee camp in Nablus. During the operations, combat engineering units uncovered pre-positioned explosive charges concealed beneath and alongside roads, with the clear intent of causing harm to Israeli forces. Additionally, special forces from the Border Patrol apprehended approximately 20 individuals on their wanted list, interrogated 30 suspects for intelligence gathering, and made a significant discovery - four observation outposts, an explosives production laboratory, and several storage facilities containing improvised explosive devices, all located in proximity to a local mosque. Throughout the course of the operation, Israeli troops engaged in exchanges of fire with terrorists who were armed and had thrown explosives, resulting in the neutralization of a number of these assailants.
בוקר טוב שכם.
— יוסי שחבר (@ShbrYwsy) November 18, 2023
היהודים השתגעו.
מה שהיה לא יהיה.
חיל האוויר שיגר טיל לעבר בית במחנה בלטה בשכם שם שהו מבוקשים.
מהמקום חולצו 5 מחבלים מחוסלים. pic.twitter.com/QKOQZQ75jb
A meticulous search conducted by Israeli forces in the Balata refugee camp led to the confiscation of more than five firearms, including an M16-type weapon and a grenade launcher, various types of ammunition, improvised explosive devices, weapon components, and other military equipment.
Meanwhile, in the course of activities undertaken in Kfar Tamon and the Deheisha refugee camp, suspects resorted to hurling explosives and Molotov cocktails at IDF troops. In response, IDF troops employed live fire, and successful hits were confirmed. Furthermore, during the night, the IDF, in collaboration with Shin Bet and Border Patrol special forces, apprehended a total of 38 individuals listed as wanted as part of operations that spanned across Judea and Samaria and extended into the Jordan Valley.
The individuals apprehended and the confiscated weaponry and equipment were subsequently handed over to Israeli security forces for further investigation and handling. Notably, there were no casualties among IDF forces during these operations. Since the onset of hostilities, approximately 1,800 individuals on the wanted list have been apprehended throughout Judea and Samaria, with around 1,100 of them having ties to the terrorist organization, Hamas.
תיעוד | מדיווחים ערביים נמסר כי התנגשות מזוינת התפתחה בין כוחות #צהל לבין #מחבלים ב #גנין. לא ידוע על נפגעים לכוחותינו.
— MTI - Ashram (@chens2111) November 17, 2023
MTI - Ashram https://t.co/K8Y7jpzfBt pic.twitter.com/cgpKJoWHmo
This announcement follows the publication of an update by the IDF spokesman earlier in the day regarding military activities in the Gaza Strip. These activities had been expanded over the course of the previous week. The update highlighted that, in addition to ground operations, the 3rd Fleet, comprising missile ships, had launched attacks against Hamas targets along the Gaza Strip, employing thousands of munitions from the sea. These naval operations played a crucial role in supporting ground forces by providing fire support, conducting surveillance and reconnaissance, thwarting threats against our forces on land, and ensuring coordination with land-based missions from the sea.
