Three killed in rare Israeli drone strike near Jenin

Army says it destroyed vehicle carrying suspected militants who had opened fire at checkpoint

Three people were killed in a rare Israeli drone strike that occurred near Jenin in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday.

The Israeli army said it had destroyed a vehicle carrying suspected Palestinian militants who had carried out a shooting near the town of Jamalah.

An unmanned aerial vehicle fired towards the car following intelligence from Israel's Shin Bet, the army said. It added that the occupants were suspected of being responsible for a number of recent attacks on Israeli settlements.

Israeli media initially reported at least four people had been killed in the strike, which some outlets reported as the first in the West Bank since the Second Intifada.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said three bodies had been recovered from the vehicle and emergency services were prevented from reaching the scene.

It comes after a day of violence across the West Bank.

One Palestinian was killed and homes and vehicles were set alight by Israeli settlers, who attacked villages following the death of four Israelis in an attack near the Eli settlement on Tuesday.

Wafa reported overnight attacks on homes, 140 cars and shops. Incidents were reported at locations to the north of the West Bank capital of Ramallah, the flashpoint northern town of Hawara and several other sites.

The Israeli government had renewed warnings of fresh operations in the West Bank following Tuesday's attack, in which two gunmen opened fire at a restaurant and a petrol station. They were shot dead by armed Israeli civilians and the army.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant have said “all options” were open after the attack.

Mr Gallant commented on Wednesday's drone strike, saying: “We'll take an attacking and proactive approach against terror, we'll use all means at our disposal and exact the heaviest price from every terrorist.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir praised the army, tweeting: “It's time. Kudos to the IDF.”

The West Bank has seen daily violence since Israeli-Palestinian tension spiralled last year, the bloodiest since 2005.

The army has conducted almost daily raids on suspected militants it says are responsible for carrying out or plotting attacks in Israel and against soldiers in the West Bank.

Civilians, including children and the elderly, have also been killed.

A 15-year old girl was declared dead on Wednesday after being shot in the head while filming an Israeli armoured vehicle near her home on Monday.

Speaking to The National on Tuesday, the family of Sadil Naghnaghia said her heart was still beating after she was declared clinically dead from a brain laceration.