Israeli soldiers killed at West Bank shooting

Two Israeli soldiers were killed and eight others wounded when a gunman opened fire on troops at a checkpoint near Tayasir in the Jordan Valley on February 4th, according to Asharq Al-Awsat via The Associated Press.
The soldiers returned fire and ultimately killed the attacker. However, two of the wounded remain in serious condition, while the other six sustained light injuries, according to the Israeli military.
Israeli media outlet Ynet reported that the gunman, armed with an M-16 rifle, fired at close range as a soldier exited a fortified bunker. The attack sparked a gunfight that lasted several minutes before Israeli soldiers shot and killed the assailant.
The attack comes amid heightened tensions in the West Bank, with Israeli military operations underway in Jenin and Tulkarm and additional raids in other areas.
Israel has escalated its assault on the occupied West Bank with airstrikes and ground operations, causing thousands of Palestinians to flee their homes, The New Arab reported on February 3rd.
Violence in the West Bank has surged since the start of the Gaza war in 2023. Israeli forces have carried out frequent sweeps, arresting thousands of Palestinians and killing hundreds, including both militants and civilians. Meanwhile, dozens of Israelis have been killed by Palestinians in the West Bank and Israel.
According to The New Arab, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for an emergency session of the UN Security Council on February 2nd as a result of Israel’s devastating raids on the West Bank. He said these raids were “a deliberate strategy to erase the Palestinian presence” and has since accused Israel of conducting “ethnic cleansing”.
Asharq Al-Awsat via The Associated Press, The New Arab