Ancient city in the Jordan Valley, capital of Jericho Governorate
Palestinian and Israeli sources report a sharp rise in West Bank violence. Dozens of settler attacks have targeted towns including Masafer Yatta, Jenin, Qusra and Hebron, with Palestinians injured, property damaged and several homes besieged. The violence coincides with increased Israeli military operations and ongoing clashes.
The latest sanctions have intensified economic pressure on Tehran as a U.S.-led effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz stalls. Tehran says it will respond with intensified measures while Washington maintains its economic campaign.
Palestinian communities face encroachment as Israeli settlers, backed by a hard‑line government, move to seize springs and designate heritage sites. Water diversions near Fasayil contribute to a new “Herod’s Pool,” while funding for archaeology signals a broader push to consolidate control over land and memory in the West Bank.
Since Monday, Israeli authorities have demolished homes in Umm Numaila and Abu Quraynat, reflecting a wider pattern of home demolitions in unrecognized Bedouin villages across the Negev as authorities press for building permits. The moves are part of a broader legal and political struggle over land and recognition in Israel’s southern desert.
Palestinian olive harvests in the West Bank have been marred by escalating settler violence. Across multiple villages, harvesters are attacked, olives and property are damaged, and journalists and diplomats have been assaulted. Israeli authorities have faced calls for accountability as clashes intensify ahead of local elections.
Since Friday, Israeli forces have escalated a major operation in Hebron and across the West Bank, displacing thousands, sealing districts and barring Palestinian workers from most areas on Election Day. The raids have disrupted education, damaged livelihoods and drawn international concern over collective punishment and rights abuses.
Settlers have moved into eight houses on the edge of Jericho, raising fears of displacement in ad-Duyuk at-Tahta and nearby Palestinian neighbourhoods. Palestinians and rights groups warn the development could anchor an intensified settlement presence and restrict access to services, while authorities dispute ownership and legality.