US backs deadly Israeli raid on Jenin in occupied West Bank

By Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The White House on Monday said it is "closely monitoring the situation in the West Bank" amid an Israeli military raid in the West Bank city of Jenin.

"We support Israel’s security and right to defend its people against Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other terrorist groups," a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said.

Nine Palestinians were killed by Israeli army gunfire in the occupied West Bank early Monday, including eight in Jenin, according to the Health Ministry. At least 50 other Palestinians were injured.

The raid comes only days after the leaders of Gaza-based Islamic Jihad and Hamas groups, Ziad Nakhalah and Ismail Haniyeh, visited Tehran and held wide-ranging talks with top Iranian officials.

Tensions have been running high across the occupied West Bank in recent months amid repeated Israeli raids into Palestinian towns.

Nearly 190 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since the start of this year, according to the Health Ministry. At least 25 Israelis have also been killed in separate attacks during the same period.

*Tugcenur Akgun in New York contributed to the story