Israeli fighter jets conducted an airstrike on the Tulkarm refugee camp in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, killing at least 20 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Among the dead was Zahi Yaser Abdel Razak Oufi, the head of Hamas' terrorist infrastructure in Tulkarm, who was allegedly planning imminent attacks, including a failed car bombing on September 2, 2024. The strike also killed Ghaith Radwan, a senior member of Islamic Jihad, and targeted a popular café in the Al-Hamam neighborhood of Tulkarm.
The airstrike marks the first time since the Second Intifada that Israel has used fighter jets to strike targets in the West Bank, signaling a significant escalation in the conflict. The Israeli military stated that multiple fighter jets participated in the operation, which resulted in the elimination of Oufi and several other key operatives.
