Among territories where Palestinians seek statehood, the West Bank has seen a surge of violence in parallel to the Gaza war that erupted on Oct 7 with a shock cross-border killing and kidnapping spree by Islamist Hamas in southern Israel.

The airstrike on a car in Balata, near the northern West Bank city of Nablus, killed five members of a local cell of fighters that planned a large-scale, imminent attack on Israelis, the military said in a statement.

It gave the name of the leader, who was among the dead, as Abdullah Abu Shalal. Palestine’s president Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah faction said five of its members were in the car, including Abu Shalal.

Hours later, an airstrike in the central West Bank city of Tulkarm killed four Palestinians, medics said. The military spokesman confirmed that an operation was underway in Tulkarm but did not immediately provide details.