The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that a helicopter airstrike Friday killed a Palestinian terrorist who had sniped at an Israeli minibus near a Jewish town in the West Bank, The Times of Israel reported.
Although nobody on the minibus was injured, at least seven Israelis were wounded in the hours-long firefight between them and the sniper, according to The Times of Israel. One soldier was reported as critically wounded, hospital officials said. (RELATED: IDF Claims Over 100 Hamas Fighters Killed After Wrapping Up Operation In Terrorist Stronghold)
Emanuel Fabian, a reporter for The Times of Israel, tweeted out the IDF aerial footage of the strike that killed the gunman.
The IDF releases footage of a combat helicopter strike against the Palestinian terrorist who opened fire on a minibus near the West Bank settlement of Dolev this morning, as well as at troops during a pursuit.
The gunman was killed in the strike. pic.twitter.com/F8Sgel8cdV
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 22, 2024
The video shows that the bombing occurred in a wooded area.
Other footage related to the search for the terrorist was also released. One video tweeted out by Joe Truzman, a senior analyst at Foundation for Defense of Democracies, shows IDF personnel operating in the area.
Video from the operation pic.twitter.com/Ssw25gyrk3
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) March 22, 2024
A video shared by Truzman appeared to show the actual terrorist in the wooded area around the time of the air strike. “Additional documentation showing the airstrike on Mujahid Barakat who carried out a shooting on a mini bus in the West Bank earlier today,” the analyst tweeted.
Additional documentation showing the airstrike on Mujahid Barakat who carried out a shooting on a mini bus in the West Bank earlier today. pic.twitter.com/p1GudGwJZU
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) March 22, 2024
Since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, the IDF said Israel has arrested some 3,500 persons in the West Bank, The Times of Israel reported. Over 1,500 of those arrested were affiliated with Hamas, the IDF said. Over 400 Palestinians have been killed in IDF operations in the West Bank since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian authorities.