RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) – An Israeli airstrike on a vehicle in the occupied West Bank killed a commander of the Palestinian armed group Hamas on Saturday, Hamas media reported, while Palestinian news agency WAFA said four other men were also killed.
The identities of the others were not clear, according to the WAFA report, which cited health officials.
The Israeli military said it had carried out an airstrike against a militant cell around the West Bank town of Tulkarm. Hamas media said a vehicle carrying fighters had been hit and one of the commanders of its Tulkarm brigades was killed.
Violence in the West Bank increased before the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza began on October 7 and has increased since then, with frequent Israeli raids in the territory, which is among those sought by the Palestinians for a state.
Tensions across the region have soared this week following the assassination of Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyehin Tehran on Wednesday, a day after an Israeli strike in Beirut killed Hezbollah’s senior military commander Fuad Shukr.
Haniyeh’s death was one of a series of assassinations of senior Hamas figures as the war in Gaza between the Palestinian militants and Israel approaches its 11th month and fears grow that the conflict is spreading across the Middle East.
Hamas and Iran have both accused Israel of carrying out the killing and have vowed revenge against their enemy. Israel has neither claimed nor denied responsibility for the death.
Hezbollah, like Hamas, is backed by Iran and has also vowed revenge.
(Reporting by Alli Sawafta and Maayan Lubell; Editing by William Mallard)