Netanyahu and Katz Authorize IDF Operations Against Palestinian Authority in Escalated West Bank Campaign

Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have directed the Israel Defense Forces to target senior officials and infrastructure linked to the Palestinian Authority as part of an intensified campaign against terrorism in the West Bank.

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I instructed the IDF to prepare for an all-out offensive against senior Palestinian Authority officials, affiliated institutions, and all terrorist networks in Judea and Samaria in order to decisively neutralize the threat,” Katz stated.

“No terrorist can hide,” Netanyahu said in a separate address. “I commend our brave fighters who engaged the enemy and eliminated the perpetrator of the recent attack in Samaria. I also wish a swift recovery to the civilian who was injured in the incident.”

“We will continue to eliminate terrorists, pursue those who orchestrate attacks, and dismantle terrorist infrastructure across Judea and Samaria. Anyone who threatens the security of the State of Israel and its people will face severe consequences.”

The security environment in the West Bank remains highly unstable, with ongoing tensions and frequent clashes.

On Sunday, forces from the Menashe Brigade conducted an operation in the village of Aqaba in northern Samaria. During the mission, troops located and seized a cache of weapons, including an M16 rifle, a rocket, and substantial quantities of explosives believed to be intended for the manufacture of improvised explosive devices.

The operation followed a wave of disrupted attacks in recent days, including the arrest of a five-person militant cell in the Qabatiya region on Friday.

Authorities recovered a firearm and ammunition from the suspects, and intelligence assessments suggest the group was in the final stages of planning a large-scale attack targeting the northern West Bank.

Avi Ashkenazi contributed to this report.

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