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- Israel-Hamas war
- IDF confirms West Bank airstrike killed major Hamas commander, other terrorists
IDF confirms West Bank airstrike killed major Hamas commander, other terrorists
The airstrike was part of a greater operation in the area, with more than 50 missions conducted between the IDF, Shin Bet and Border Police
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![Palestinian gunmen hold their weapons after an Israeli military raid in Tulkarem, in the West Bank.](https://cdn.i24news.tv/uploads/e5/bd/7d/6b/90/86/68/a6/19/4c/7b/1c/48/0c/48/18/e5bd7d6b908668a6194c7b1c480c4818.jpg?width=1000)
The Israel Defense Forces said the Hamas commander of the Tulkarm region of the West Bank was killed in a drone strike on Tuesday.
Ashraf Nafa, the head of the Hamas branch in the Tulkarm area, manufactured weapons, hid explosives intended to attack IDF soldiers, and recruited new terrorists into Hamas.
The airstrike was part of a greater operation with the Border Police and Shin Bet security agency in the area, part of a series of more that 50 counterterrorism operations in the Tulkarm area.
Gunfights resulted in a number of armed terrorists killed, with numerous roadside bombs dismantled during the operation.
Another major terrorist killed during the operation was Muhammed Awad, a local operative involved in shooting attacks against Israeli troops, fundraising for Hamas in the area, and procuring weapons.
While much of the attention is on the Gaza Strip in Israel's war against Hamas, Israeli security forces have been operating extensively in the West Bank to prevent terrorists from gaining a foothold there as well.