Residents ordered from homes as Israeli forces conduct West Bank raid

Israeli security forces entered the West Bank city of Tubas on Wednesday, taking up positions across several districts and instructing some residents to leave their homes during an operation described by local officials as extensive.

Tubas Governor Ahmed al-Asaad told Reuters that Israeli units, supported by a helicopter, had surrounded parts of the city and were stationed on a number of rooftops.

“The operation appears likely to continue for some time,” he said, adding that forces had “evacuated residents from several properties, taken positions on buildings, and carried out arrests”.

The Israeli military stated that the operation, conducted alongside police and intelligence services, began early on Wednesday following what it described as “preliminary intelligence identifying attempts to establish militant infrastructure”.

It said troops located what it called “an observational control room” while searching dozens of properties.

Footage from Tubas showed Israeli vehicles moving through the streets, with troops patrolling the area carrying rifles and launchers. Forces were also seen in the nearby town of Tammun.

Residents instructed not to return

Governor al-Asaad said residents asked to leave their homes were told not to return until the operation ends. He estimated that the deployment could last several days and reported that at least 22 Palestinians had been detained. He also said that roadblocks had been set up around parts of the city.

The West Bank is home to about 2.7 million Palestinians living under Israeli military administration, alongside several hundred thousand Israeli settlers.

Wednesday’s operation follows a series of similar deployments in parts of the northern West Bank this year, beginning with an operation in Jenin in January after US President Donald Trump took office.

According to Palestinian officials and aid organisations, thousands of people have been displaced in recent months as Israeli forces have conducted searches and maintained a prolonged presence in several urban areas.

Human Rights Watch this month accused Israel of committing forced expulsions and other violations during these operations. Israel rejects those allegations.

Violence involving Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank has also risen in recent months. Israeli authorities say they are working to address the incidents, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticised attacks carried out by settlers.

Hamas, which agreed to a ceasefire with Israel in Gaza last month, condemned the latest operation in the West Bank and called on international actors to intervene.

Since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October two years ago, movement across parts of the West Bank has been more tightly controlled, with new checkpoints and barriers affecting access for some Palestinian communities.