Israeli raid in West Bank leaves 4 Palestinians dead

Raids by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank left four Palestinians dead and nearly 20 others injured early Tuesday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. In an initial statement, it said that three had died, updating the figure later.

"There are three dead and 19 wounded, three of them seriously, by Israeli fire in Nablus," the ministry said in a brief statement.

Another Palestinian was killed by Israeli fire in Ramallah which houses the Palestinian Authority's headquarters in the central West Bank.

The Israeli army confirmed the large-scale night operation in Nablus in a joint statement with police and intelligence agencies. It said that it had raided a "hideout apartment... that was used as a headquarters and explosives manufacturing site".  

"The site was used by the main operatives of the 'Lion's Den' terrorist group," the statement said, referring to a new group of young Palestinian fighters who have carried out anti-Israeli operations in Nablus in recent weeks.

"During the activity, multiple armed suspects were hit and Palestinian reports indicate that were multiple injuries."

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas's spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeinah said in a statement that he is establishing "urgent contacts in order to stop this aggression against our people".

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad also said in a statement its "fighters were involved in violent clashes" with Israeli forces in Nablus and threatened Israel with reprisals "against these crimes" there.

The Lion's Den, called "Areen al-Ossoud" in Arabic, comprises young Palestinian fighters, some of whom are affiliated with groups such as Fatah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The group had claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on an Israeli soldier two weeks ago in the occupied West Bank. 

The late leader of the group, Ibrahim al-Nabulsi, nicknamed The Lion of Nablus, was shot dead by Israeli forces in August. He has attained the position of a folk hero among Palestinians on social media.

Following Nabulsi's death, the Israeli army tightened its grip on the city, setting up controls to identify people leaving and constantly scanning the skies above with observation drones.