Four people were killed during Israeli army operations in the West Bank, the Health Ministry in Ramallah said on Wednesday.

Palestinian media reported clashes between militant Palestinians and the army in Jenin, a militant stronghold, with two men said to have been killed in the overnight operation.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its forces conducted anti-terrorism raids during which one suspect was arrested.

Forces discovered and dismantled explosive devices, the IDF said.

The IDF added that soldiers shot at armed suspects during the operation and hit people in the process.

According to Palestinian media, a 16-year-old and a 23-year-old Palestinian were killed in a separate incident today when Israeli forces opened fire on their vehicle northwest of Jerusalem.

The Palestinian media added that three people were injured, the circumstances were initially unclear and the IDF is investigating the incident upon request.

The security situation in the occupied West Bank has been even more tense than usual since the outbreak of the latest Gaza war.

The war was triggered when the Palestinian extremist organisation Hamas and other militant groups attacked southern Israel on October 7.

The IDF has increasingly been conducting raids, especially in the cities of Nablus and Jenin, which are under the administration of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and considered a hotbed for militant groups.

More than 400 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank in Israeli military operations, clashes or attacks of their own since October 7, according to the Palestinian health authority there.

Violence by Israeli settlers targeting Palestinians has also been on the rise.

Israel is also expecting further tensions during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which began in the Palestinian Territories on Monday.

(dpa/NAN)