TEL AVIV, January 3. /TASS/. The Israeli military said it conducting a major counterterrorism operation in the Nur Shams refugee camp for Palestinians near the West Bank city of Tulkarem.

"Units from the Israel Defense Forces, Border Police and General Security Service have launched a large-scale counterterrorism operation in the Nur Shams refugee camp, questioning dozens of suspects, detaining six wanted persons, and confiscating military equipment. During the operation, an IDF aircraft struck terrorists who were hurling explosives at soldiers. The operation is currently ongoing," the IDF said.

The military and security forces also detained 18 Palestinians wanted on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities in overnight raids throughout the West Bank, the IDF said.

According to the IDF, since the start of the military operation in the Gaza Strip in response to the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, 2,570 wanted persons have already been detained in the West Bank, and about 1,300 of them are suspected of having ties to Hamas.