Israel Launches Wide-Scale Military Operation across Tubas Governorate in West Bank
In a joint statement, the Israeli military, police, and internal security services said they had initiated “a broad counter-terrorism operation” in the northern West Bank, citing intelligence indicating “attempts to establish terrorist strongholds.”
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Israel’s military on Wednesday launched a large-scale operation targeting Palestinian armed groups across the occupied West Bank, marking one of the most extensive campaigns in the region in recent years.
In a joint statement, the Israeli military, police, and internal security services said they had initiated “a broad counter-terrorism operation” in the northern West Bank, citing intelligence indicating “attempts to establish terrorist strongholds.” The campaign began overnight with airstrikes to isolate designated areas, followed by ground operations involving raids, searches, and interrogations. Israeli forces also reported seizing funds allegedly linked to the militant activities.
The Israeli army confirmed to AFP that the operation is a new campaign, separate from the one launched in January 2025 that focused on Palestinian refugee camps in the northern West Bank. Israel has occupied the territory since 1967.
The latest operation is concentrated in Tubas, a predominantly agricultural governorate in the northeastern part of the West Bank. According to Tubas Governor Ahmed al-Asaad, the scope of the campaign is “unprecedented.”
“This is the first time that the entire governorate is included — the whole governorate is now under Israeli army operations,” al-Asaad told AFP.
He said Israeli forces conducted raids in the towns of Tammun and Tayasir, as well as in the Al-Faraa refugee camp. The main entrances to Tubas City were blocked with earth mounds, effectively sealing off movement.
Al-Asaad also reported the involvement of an Apache attack helicopter, saying it fired toward residential areas. He described the campaign as politically motivated, rather than a purely security-driven operation.
The situation in Tubas remained tense as Israeli forces continued their activities throughout the day, with residents facing significant mobility restrictions and uncertainty about the duration and scale of the operation.
