Israel raids town in occupied West Bank and threatens major military assault

Hundreds of Israeli soldiers supported by armoured vehicles have conducted raids in the Palestinian town of Tubas near Nablus in the biggest such military deployment by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank since the ceasefire came into effect in Gaza last month.

- Jason Burke

Palestinian media reported that a curfew was imposed on Tuesday night on Tubas and some neighbouring communities; roads were closed by earth barriers and families were forced from their homes to allow Israeli forces to use the buildings.

Israeli's military and internal security service said in a joint statement that they had launched “a broad counter-terrorism operation” that was expected to continue for several days. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that leaflets distributed by the Israeli military in Tubas had informed people the area had “become a haven for terrorism”.