Israeli Special Forces Kill Key Militant Leader in Nablus Raid
Israeli special forces killed Issam al-Salaj, a senior commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, and four others during a targeted operation in the West Bank city of Nablus on Wednesday, according to an official statement from the Israel Police. The operation, coordinated with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Shin Bet security agency, and Border Police, was aimed at disrupting an imminent attack, security sources said.
Footage shared by Army Radio shows undercover Israeli commandos stopping a vehicle in a busy street. The officers, dressed in civilian clothing, used suppressed rifles to fatally shoot the driver and passengers of the car. The raid left four men dead on the scene, while a fifth was hospitalized with shrapnel wounds, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Among the dead was Salaj, the head of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades’ Balata Battalion, a faction linked to Fatah, the political movement headed by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The Israel Police stated that the men were armed at the time and posed an immediate threat to the forces, justifying the lethal action.
The raid was part of a broader effort by Israeli security forces to curb the activities of militant groups in the northern West Bank, particularly in areas such as Nablus and the nearby Balata refugee camp. Israeli security sources told local media that the group had been planning attacks against Israeli civilians and military personnel, a claim later confirmed by Israeli authorities.
The operation comes amid an escalation in violence between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants in the West Bank, which has seen intensified military raids since October 2023. The Palestinian Authority reports that over 700 Palestinians have been killed during this period, with most identified as combatants, according to the IDF.
Riots and protests erupted in Nablus following the raid, with Palestinian groups condemning the killings and accusing Israeli forces of heavy-handed tactics. Despite the unrest, Israeli authorities reiterated their stance that these operations are necessary to prevent further terror attacks and safeguard Israeli lives.
