A week after the IDF launched Operation Five Stones in the northern West Bank, the military says troops have searched hundreds of structures, questioned hundreds of Palestinians and carried out more than 20 airstrikes. More than 30 suspects have been arrested and six terrorists have been killed, including two shot by Border Police outside a building in Jenin about a week ago. The IDF describes the ongoing campaign as a shaping operation aimed at changing conditions on the ground.
Current activity is concentrated in Kabatiya, Faraa and Tamun, where IDF units, Shin Bet agents and Border Police forces — including the Commando Brigade, Paratroopers Reconnaissance Unit, Tavor Unit, the 101st Battalion and the 967th Battalion — have increased operational pressure around the villages.
IDF demolitions in the West Bank
(Video: IDF)
The Justice Ministry’s Police Internal Investigations Department is still examining the unusual incident in Jenin in which two terrorists were seen in circulated footage exiting a building, raising their hands and kneeling before being shot. Border Police officers said the men made a sudden movement and that one was a senior terrorist operative who had planned multiple attacks against civilians and soldiers. He had been wanted by the IDF and Shin Bet for more than 11 months.
Throughout Operation Five Stones, the IDF has emphasized close coordination between ground forces and the air force. Attack helicopters have played a central role, conducting the more than 20 airstrikes carried out so far.
The IDF says terrorists have been operating in the cluster of villages in the northern West Bank after fleeing dismantled terror networks in Jenin and Tulkarem. Forces have demolished 24 structures to improve operational access and prevent the establishment of new terrorist infrastructure.
Troops have been moving in and out of the area throughout the week, at times using deception tactics that reflect the operational freedom the IDF seeks to establish in the region. As part of the operation, forces also demolished the homes of two terrorists involved in separate attacks.
IDF operation in the northern West Bank
(Video: IDF)
Two attacks this week in the Hebron and Binyamin areas were not believed to be connected. In both cases, the assailants were young terrorists acting independently. The IDF said it quickly closed operational circles, including in the Hebron ramming attack carried out by a terrorist who was not previously known to intelligence services.
Security officials said the manhunt continues for the terrorist who hurled a metal rod at an Israeli vehicle Saturday night on Highway 5. Troops raided a nearby village with police and arrested several suspects, with the investigation ongoing.
Central Command launched Operation Five Stones after identifying an emerging terrorist buildup in the cluster of villages in the northern West Bank. It remains unclear when the complex operation will conclude, but military commanders appear determined to achieve significant results. Forces are acting on precise Shin Bet intelligence as well as real-time field intelligence that triggers rapid-response missions.