Six IDF soldiers suffered minor and moderate injuries during clashes in Jenin on Monday morning after a car bomb exploded during clashes with local residents.
Israeli security forces entered the West Bank city of Jenin on Monday morning to arrest two men wanted in the area. During the operation, heavy fighting broke out between IDF soldiers and Palestinian gunmen, leaving at least two Palestinians dead and 28 wounded as a result, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
During the exchange of fire, an IDF armored vehicle was attacked with hidden explosive charges planted along the exit route. As a result, six soldiers received minor and moderate injuries.
After the attack on the armored vehicle, the IDF employed the use of a combat helicopter to assist in the rescue of the wounded soldiers, marking the first time in 20 years that the Israeli military had used the ‘use of an attack helicopter missile in the West. bank
Speaking to Walla News, an Israeli military official said the nature of the armored vehicle ambush was unusual, noting the similarities between the explosive devices used in Jenin and those used by Hezbollah on the border with Lebanon.
A helicopter flies during an Israeli raid in Jenin, West Bank, June 19, 2023. (Credit: REUTERS/RANEEN SAWAFTA)
“We are shocked by the intensity of the damage,” the official said. “The Panther is a new armored vehicle and now we will have to recalculate a route to enter the Jenin area. We need to understand how the gap in our ground intelligence and analysis occurred before the operation.”
