Troops come under gunfire in Jenin, Nablus; 14 suspects arrested — IDF

Palestinian gunmen opened fire at Israeli troops in the northern West Bank cities of Jenin and Nablus during extensive raids before dawn on Monday that saw 14 wanted Palestinians arrested, the Israel Defense Forces said.

The military said special Border Police forces and the IDF’s Haruv counter-terrorism reconnaissance unit entered Jenin to arrest a Palestinian suspected of involvement in terror activities. The suspect’s makeshift “Carlo” submachine gun was seized by the troops, the IDF said.

It said Palestinians hurled explosive devices and opened fire at troops.

The military added that troops “disarmed” several more IEDs found hidden in a motorcycle used by an arrested suspect.

Meanwhile, in the West Bank city of Nablus, the IDF said forces came under fire while arresting two wanted Palestinians and seizing weapon parts.

The Nablus-based Lion’s Den terror group said in a statement that its members had opened fire at the Israeli troops in the city.

A makeshift ‘Carlo’ submachine gun seized by troops in the West Bank city of Jenin, early January 23, 2023. (Israel Defense Forces)

Troops also heard gunfire while arresting three suspects in the Nur Shams refugee camp, near Tulkarem, the IDF said.

According to the Kan public broadcaster, a security officer was lightly by glass shrapnel after his car was hit by gunfire in Nur Shams during the operation.

The 14 Palestinians who were wanted over suspected terror activities were taken to be questioned by the Shin Bet security agency.

There were no immediate reports of Palestinians hurt in the clashes either.

The clashes and arrests came amid a months-long Israeli anti-terror effort, mostly in the northern West Bank, following a series of terror attacks that left 31 people dead in 2022.

The IDF’s operation has netted more than 2,500 arrests in near-nightly raids. It also left 171 Palestinians dead in 2022, and another 18 since the beginning of the year, many of them while carrying out attacks or during clashes with security forces, though some were uninvolved civilians.