Two Israeli soldiers, one shooter killed in West Bank firefight

PHOTO CAPTION: Israeli soldiers operate at the scene of a shooting attack in Jordan Valley, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank February 4, 2025. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

TAYASIR, West Bank (Reuters) -Two Israeli soldiers were killed and eight wounded when a gunman opened fire on troops in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, setting off a gunfight in which the shooter was killed by Israeli soldiers, the military said.

Two of the wounded soldiers were in a serious condition, with the other six lightly injured, the military said.

The incident, at a checkpoint near Tayasir in the Jordan Valley, took place during a period of high tension in the West Bank, with major Israeli operations underway in the cities of Jenin and Tulkarm and smaller raids in other locations.

Israeli media outlet Ynet reported that the attacker, armed with an M-16 automatic rifle, opened fire from close range on a soldier coming out of a fortified bunker, leading to a gunfight that lasted several minutes.

The incident is the latest in a surge in violence across the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war in 2023. 

Israeli troops have conducted repeated sweeps, arresting thousands of Palestinians and killing hundreds, including both armed militants and uninvolved civilians.

Dozens of Israelis have also been killed in attacks by Palestinians in the West Bank and Israel.

 (Reporting by Amar AwadWriting by James MackenzieEditing by Christina Fincher, Peter Graff)