Israeli strikes in the West Bank have killed at least nine people, according to Palestinian officials.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have launched raids across the occupied West Bank and sealed off the city of Jenin.
Israeli forces surrounded the city, blocking off exit and entry points and access to hospitals, the governor of Jenin, Kamal Abu al Rub, said on Palestinian radio.
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At least nine killed in Israeli strike
Israeli forces had blocked roads leading to a hospital with dirt barriers and surrounded other medical facilities in Jenin, the Palestinian Health Ministry added.
The Israeli military confirmed it was operating in the West Bank cities of Jenin and Tulkarm.
Seven people were killed early on Wednesday in Tubas, another West Bank city, and another two in Jenin, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Qassam Jabarin, 25, and Asem Balout, 39, were identified as the two people killed in Jenin, the ministry said.
This comes as, in the Gaza Strip, 16 people including five women and three children, were also killed in strikes overnight in the southern city of Khan Younis.
Image: Israeli armoured vehicles on the streets of Jenin. Pic: AP
Images from a morgue in Tubas show a number of dead from the latest attacks as it appeared the Israeli military was operating in a number of cities across the West Bank.
The armed wings of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Fatah said in separate statements their gunmen were detonating bombs against Israeli military vehicles as they fought Israeli forces in the three West Bank areas.
Clashes with the Israeli military in the West Bank have risen sharply since the 7 October attacks and subsequent invasion of Gaza, while Israeli settlers have also launched frequent vigilante-style attacks on Palestinian communities.
Image: Palestinians assess the damage of a car during a military operation by Israeli forces near Jenin. Pic: Reuters
Israel described the overnight operation as a “counter-terrorism” strike, and posting on X, minister for foreign affairs Israel Katz said: “The IDF has been operating with intensity since last night in the refugee camps of Jenin and Tulkarm to thwart Islamic-Iranian terrorist infrastructures that have been established there.”
He accused Iran of working to set up an “eastern terrorist front”.
Mr Katz added: “This is a full-fledged war, and we must win it.”
Unclear how long latest operation will last – but it’s biggest for some time
The IDF launched the military overnight on Tuesday. It is focused on the towns of Tulkarm and Jenin although other operations are ongoing elsewhere in the West Bank.
Israeli officials say they are acting against attempts by Iran to smuggle weapons and explosives into the West Bank and encourage terror attacks against Israelis.
The raids are not targeted at any specific militant group, although elements of Hamas and Islamic Jihad are one focus.
The IDF has used drones to strike targets and there are reports of helicopter gunships circling above Jenin. Roads in and out have been shut off and access to hospitals is blocked.
Violence in the West Bank, both attacks against Israelis but also IDF raids, has been on the rise since the start of 2023 and has increased further since 7 October.
Israel says more than 150 attacks have originated from the West Bank in the past eleven months.
A failed suicide bomb in Tel Aviv two weeks ago, which killed the attacker when it exploded in his rucksack and injured one other, is a dangerous development and has caused extreme concern in security circles.
It’s unclear how long this operation will last, the IDF is not putting a duration on it, nor are they saying how many soldiers are involved, but despite regular raids, sometimes daily, this is clearly one of the bigger operations for some time.
Five killed in Monday airstrike
Separately, the IDF said it had “eliminated five terrorists” operating in the area of Nur Shams, also in the West Bank, on Monday.
They released footage of an airstrike on a building they said was being used by terrorists.
Among those dead, they named Jibril Jasan Ismail, who they said was released as part of “the agreement in November 2023” – the same time Israel and Hamas conducted a large-scale hostage swap.
Image: The strike on Monday in the area of Nur Shams that killed five people. Pic: IDF
Image: Site of a drone strike in Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm.
Pic: Reuters
“Also eliminated were the terrorists Mohanad Qarawi and Muhammad Yussef … and the terrorist Adnan Jaber,” they added.
Thousands of Palestinians have been arrested in recent military raids in the West Bank, and at least 637 have been killed since the 7 October attacks, according to Palestinian health ministry figures.
Many of them are armed fighters but others are stone-throwing youths or uninvolved civilians.
At least 30 Israelis have been killed in attacks in Jerusalem and the West Bank during the same period, according to Israeli tallies.
The latest round of Israeli attacks comes as the US, Egypt, and Qatar continue to try and mediate a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Despite recent optimism, including US President Joe Biden saying they were “closer than we’ve ever been” to a deal, a number of obstacles remain.
One key sticking point in negotiations is the ongoing presence of Israeli forces in Gaza, particularly in the Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors, Sky News’ Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall said.
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Israel wants to keep forces in the enclave for security and strategic reasons.
This includes preventing Hamas from rearming using routes such as the Philadelphi corridor – the border between Gaza and Egypt – which was used by the militant group for many years.
A total of 40,534 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its military response there after the 7 October attacks, according to the Hamas-run health ministry there. The ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its figures.
Israel retaliated in Gaza after Hamas killed around 1,200 people and took hundreds more hostage.
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A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
Image: The fire gutted the main stage
Image: Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Image: Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
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The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Image: Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
Israeli airstrikes have targeted the Syrian military headquarters in Damascus amid renewed clashes in the country.
The gate of the Ministry of Defence in the Syrian capital was targeted by two warning missiles from an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft.
State-owned Elekhbariya TV said the Israeli strike had wounded two civilians, the Reuters news agency reported.
Image: Smoke rises from Syria’s defence ministry building in Damascus. Pic: Reuters
It came as Israeli airstrikes targeted security and army vehicles in the southern city of Sweida, where the Druze faith is one of the major religious groups – marking the third consecutive day Israel has struck Syrian forces.
The Israeli military confirmed it had “struck the entrance gate” in Damascus – and that it would be monitoring “actions being taken against Druze civilians in southern Syria”.
Image: The Israeli airstrike targeted Syria’s military headquarters. Pic: AP
Why Israel is getting involved in Syria’s internal fighting
Israel has shown little respect for international borders since becoming the unrivalled military hegemon of the Middle East. Today that meant an Israeli airstrike on a government building in Damascus.
Israel says its attack on a Syrian defence ministry facility was intended as a warning to the new government: stay out of the part of southern Syria we have occupied or else.
Israel has moved into parts of the south of the country, built military bases and declared a line of control.
On Monday, Syrian tanks heading south to try and restore order following an outbreak of factional fighting were attacked by Israeli warplanes.
“The presence of such vehicles in southern Syria could pose a threat to Israel,” stated the Israel Defence Forces.
In reality, Syria’s ageing tanks pose minimal threat to Israel’s state-of-the art military.
Local media said Sweida and nearby villages were coming under heavy artillery and mortar fire on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
The clashes marked the collapse of a ceasefire between Syrian government forces and Druze armed groups, with Israel also warning it would increase its involvement.
Image: Syria said its forces had responded to being fired upon. Pic: Reuters
Israel said it was acting to protect the Druze groups through its attacks on convoys of Syrian forces.
Syria blamed militias in Sweida for violating a ceasefire agreement which had only been reached on Tuesday.
A statement from its defence ministry said: “Military forces continue to respond to the source of fire inside the city of Sweida, while adhering to rules of engagement to protect residents, prevent harm, and ensure the safe return of those who left the city back to their homes.”
Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz said the military will continue to strike Syrian forces until they withdraw and should “leave Druze alone”, according to local reports.
Israel has shown little respect for international borders since becoming the unrivalled military hegemon of the Middle East. Today that meant an Israeli airstrike on a government building in Damascus.
Israel has moved into parts of the south of the country, built military bases and declared a line of control.
Image: Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike that hit the Syrian Defence Ministry in Damascus. Pic: AP
On Monday, Syrian tanks heading south to try and restore order following an outbreak of factional fighting were attacked by Israeli warplanes.
“The presence of such vehicles in southern Syria could pose a threat to Israel,” stated the Israel Defence Forces.
In reality, Syria’s ageing tanks pose minimal threat to Israel’s state-of-the art military.
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Syrian presenter interrupted by Israeli airstrike
The Syrian armour was attacked as it entered the area around Sweida in the Druze heartland of southern Syria following factional fighting there.
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The flare-up reportedly began with clashes between Bedouin and Druze groups that ended in scores killed.
The background to the escalation is complicated.
At least three Druze militia groups are divided in their loyalties to different religious leaders and differ over how they should respond to calls to assimilate into the new post-revolutionary Syria.
Image: Druze from Syria and Israel protest on the Israeli-Syrian border.
Pic: AP
Israel is becoming more and more involved in Syria’s internecine war and says it will remain there indefinitely “to protect our communities and thwart any threat”.
Its critics say Israel is operating a policy of divide and rule in Syria, weakening the fledgling government and creating a buffer zone to protect the border with the Golan Heights – originally Syrian territory that it has occupied and annexed for almost half a century.
Since the fall of the Assad regime, Israel has used airstrikes to destroy of much of Syria’s military capability weakening its ability to impose control on outlying regions. This makes it more not less likely Israel will have a volatile unstable state on its northern border.
Image: Syrian security forces walk along a street in the southern Druze city of Sweida. Pic: Reuters
America and European powers have chosen to normalise relations with the new government in Damascus and lift sanctions.
In contrast Israel has occupied its territory, bombed its military and today hit one of its government buildings in the capital with an airstrike.
Since its crushing military campaigns against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, Israel has emerged as the unchallenged military power of the region.
There is however a limit to what blunt force can achieve alone. It requires diplomacy to achieve lasting gains and Israel’s repeated assaults on multiple neighbours combined with its relentless campaign in Gaza are winning it few friends in the region.