Israeli officer wounded after explosive attack on armoured vehicle in West Bank PHOTO

Israeli Army Colonel Ayoub Kayuf was injured in an explosion near the Palestinian town of Tulkarm in the West Bank.

According to the Israeli Army press service, the incident occurred when an explosive device damaged the "David" armoured vehicle, which was carrying Kayuf and other officers, Caliber.Az reports via Israeli media.

The report stated that Brigadier General Yaki Dolph, the commander of the Judea and Samaria Division (Israel’s designation for the West Bank), and Colonel Kayuf, the commander of the Menashe Regional Brigade, were in the vehicle at the time of the explosion. Colonel Kayuf, who sustained moderate injuries, was evacuated for medical treatment, and his family has been notified. The other passengers in the vehicle, including General Dolph, were not injured.

In response to the attack, the Israeli Air Force carried out an airstrike on December 25, targeting a terrorist cell in Tammun, a town in the northern West Bank. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson’s Office confirmed that explosives had been planted in the area by the terrorists.

Meanwhile, a statement from the Palestinian militant group Saraya al-Quds, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, was quoted by Lebanese TV channel Al Mayadeen. The group claimed responsibility for the ambush, stating that they had lured Israeli forces into an attack and detonated a military jeep. The militants also claimed to have set off several pre-prepared explosive devices, resulting in confirmed casualties in the area of the Nur Shams refugee camp.

The ongoing Israeli military operations in the West Bank have led to at least eight Palestinian deaths. The Israeli military entered the Tulkarm refugee camp, using bulldozers to destroy roads and other key infrastructure. Additionally, Israeli forces conducted raids in the Nur Shams refugee camp and the city of Nablus, where they stormed a residential house in the Rafidiya neighbourhood. The situation in Nablus also saw the Israeli military entering the village of Nabi Saleh, located northwest of Ramallah.

These events are part of an ongoing escalation of violence in the region, following the October 7, 2023, infiltration of armed Hamas militants into Israeli territory. The attack by Hamas led to the killing of residents in border settlements and hostage-taking. In response, Israel launched Operation Swords of Iron, aiming to dismantle the Hamas military and political infrastructure and to free hostages. The fighting in Gaza and clashes in the West Bank have continued since then, further intensifying the region’s instability.

By Tamilla Hasanova