Yesterday IDF soldiers carried out a major and successful operation against Arab terrorists in the Samaria city of Jenin, by the grace of the Almighty, which resulted in the elimination of a large number of enemies and without casualties among our forces. The operation began with information about a “ticking bomb,” a group of three wanted terrorists who were planning a terrorist attack in the nearest future. The forces of the Special Сounter-Terrorism Unit (Yamam) entered Jenin, under the protection of several hundred IDF fighters, who surrounded the city, and began searching for the terrorists.
With G-d’s help, the Yamam fighters succeeded in eliminating the terrorist group. The city began rioting, instead. Thousands of supporters of the liquidated fighters, many dozens of whom were armed, attempted to attack the special forces leaving the city, blocked the roads, began to throw explosives and gas bombs at the army vehicles, and started shooting at them.
During the counterattack our soldiers eliminated at least six more fighters. The number of killed enemy combatants may have been as many as eight or ten. This counter-terrorist operation against the terrorists and their supporters involved hundreds of our soldiers, Border Police (MAGAV) and IDF elite units.
By the grace of the Almighty, despite the heavy fire that the terrorists unleashed on our soldiers and the explosives that managed to damage several army jeeps, this difficult battle ended without casualties on our side. All IDF fighters left the area safely, completing the operation.
It should be noted that yesterday — on the 4th of Shvat — was Hillula of the famous Jewish sage and righteous man, Rabbi Israel Abuhatzeira (Baba Sali). And it was on this very day that the haters and enemies of Israel were struck with a devastating blow.
The successful execution of that difficult operation enraged the terrorist chiefs in Ramallah — they announced that they would immediately (for the millionth time) end the security cooperation with Israel.
It should be noted that a large part of the terrorists who carried out attacks against Israelis last year were mainly members of the “security services” of the PA or close members of their families. In other words, the cooperation between the leaders of the PA and Israel in the security sphere has long been (if not from the beginning) largely profanational.
The Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip were also furious and promised revenge. In response to this, the Iron Dome batteries were deployed in the south yesterday. Throughout the night, terrorists bombed Jewish villages near the Gaza Strip and the city of Ashkelon several times. The last of the rocket firings fell at four o’clock in the morning. All of the rockets, by the grace of the Almighty, either fell in the open field or were shot down by the Iron Dome.
In response to the rocket attacks, IDF forces attacked terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip. According to an IDF spokesman’s report, high-quality targets were hit, including an underground rocket factory.
There were no new terrorist attacks after 4 a.m., but tensions remain in the south.