Israeli operation in the West Bank kills at least 9, Palestinian officials say By Reuters

CAIRO (Reuters) -Israeli strikes in the West Bank killed at least nine people, Palestinian health authorities said on Wednesday, in a major operation in the occupied territories.

Clashes with the Israeli military in the West Bank have risen sharply since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, as Israel steps up operations against armed militant groups, including Iranian-backed Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

Thousands of Palestinians have been arrested in military raids, and at least 637 have been killed, according to Palestinian Health Ministry figures. Many of them are armed fighters but others are stone-throwing youths or uninvolved civilians.