WATCH: Eliminated before imminent attack: IAF takes out terror cell in Samaria

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) announced on Sunday that three airstrikes were conducted overnight on Saturday as part of an ongoing counterterrorism operation in the West Bank. The strikes targeted terrorist cells operating in the Jenin and Qabatiya areas.

In Qabatiya, an Israel Air Force (IAF) aircraft, acting on Shin Bet intelligence, eliminated a terrorist cell that was en route to carry out an imminent attack. Following the strike, secondary explosions were observed, confirming the presence of explosives in the terrorists’ vehicle. The attack resulted in the deaths of Salah Zakarneh and Abd al-Hadi Kamil, both residents of Qabatiya.

Kamil, a former prisoner previously convicted of planning terrorist attacks, had been released as part of the November 2023 hostage deal agreement.

In Jenin, Israeli Air Force aircraft carried out two more precision strikes within hours, targeting armed terrorist cells. The IDF emphasized that security forces remain actively engaged in counterterrorism operations across northern Samaria, as part of an intensified effort to prevent future attacks in the region.