Israeli army launches new raids around W Bank city

JENIN, Palestinian Territories: Israeli forces launched a third day of operations on Monday around the flashpoint West Bank city of Jenin following heavy gun battles in recent days and overnight arrests, the army said.

Tensions have soared since a spree of attacks in Israel left 14 people dead in the past three weeks, with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warning the Jewish state is now "on the offensive". The Israeli army said 14 Palestinians were arrested early Monday, a day after four Palestinians were killed in separate incidents in the occupied territory.

An additional 13 army battalions were now operating in the West Bank, said a military source, speaking on condition of anonymity. In Jenin, thousands of mourners flooded the streets, many carrying Palestinian flags or rifles, for the funeral of Mohamed Zakarneh, 17, who according to the Wafa news agency died of gunshot wounds overnight. "The resistance is in direct confrontation with the occupation and any minute we must expect a total clash," said Ziad al-Nakhala, secretary general of the militant Islamic movement, in a statement.