Israeli tanks storm West Bank
A convoy of dozens of Israeli tanks rolled into a Gaza refugee camp early Friday, destroying tunnels allegedly used by Palestinian militants to smuggle weapons.
They were accompanied by machine gun fire from Israeli Apache helicopters.
The incursion came after intelligence reports claimed Palestinian militants were planning to acquire anti-aircraft missiles in the Rafah refugee camp.
On Friday, a Palestinian suicide bomber from Hamas’ military wing, the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, blasted the District Coordinating Office near the West Bank city of Tulkarem, killing himself as well as injuring two soldiers and a Palestinian.
The bomber was identified as Ahmed Safadi, an 18-year-old school student from the village of Oref south of Nablus.
On Wednesday, Israel’s the military ordered 800 active-duty soldiers to the West Bank and Gaza, cancelling leave and training courses.
It has ordered a strict lockdown on Palestinian areas for the next two weeks.
