The Israeli military requires at least another 24 hours to complete the operation began in the West Bank city of Jenin in the early hours of Monday morning, a person briefed on the military's planning told Reuters.
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The military has so far declined to say how long the operation will take, saying only that it could be longer than one day and forces would stay as long as necessary.
The White House is monitoring closely the situation in the West Bank, where Israeli forces hit the city of Jenin with drone strikes as part of one of the biggest West Bank operations in 20 years, a spokesperson said on Monday.
"We have seen the reports and are monitoring the situation closely," a White House spokesperson said. "We support Israel's security and right to defend its people against Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other terrorist groups."
Israel struck targets at the terrorist stronghold early Monday and deployed hundreds of troops in the area, in an incursion that resembled the wide-scale military operations carried out during the second Palestinian uprising two decades ago. Palestinian health officials said at least eight Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded.
Troops remained inside the Jenin refugee camp at midday Monday, pushing ahead with the largest operation in the area during more than a year of fighting. It came at a time of growing domestic pressure for a tough response to a series of attacks on Israeli settlers, including a shooting attack last month that killed four Israelis.
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