On Saturday, August 3, an Israeli airstrike targeted a vehicle in the occupied West Bank, resulting in the death of a commander from Hamas’ Tulkarm Brigade, according to Hamas media reports. The strike, which occurred around 6:40 am local time, also killed four other individuals, though their identities have not been confirmed, as reported by the Palestinian news agency WAFA.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the airstrike via their Telegram channel, stating that an IDF aircraft struck a vehicle containing members of a terrorist cell operating in Tulkarm. The military indicated that further details would be provided later.
Hamas media identified one of the deceased as Sheikh Haitham Balidi, a leader of Tulkarm’s Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades. The Tulkarm Brigade includes forces from various Palestinian factions.
This incident is part of a broader escalation of violence in the West Bank, which has intensified in recent months. The surge in violence follows the recent assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and an Israeli strike in Beirut that killed Hezbollah senior military commander Fuad Shukr. Both Hamas and Iran have accused Israel of orchestrating these attacks and have vowed retaliation, although Israel has not confirmed its involvement.