An assessment published by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) this week points to a sharp reduction in Palestinian-perpetrated terrorist activity across the West Bank in 2025. The IDF attributed the decline to sustained counterterrorism operations in the territory throughout last year. However, despite the figures, there are signs that West Bank terrorist organizations are attempting to renew their efforts.
The Israeli military and Shin Bet reported on a Hamas financial network operating in Turkey under direct Iranian supervision and moving hundreds of millions of dollars through Turkish-based money changers to fund terrorism. Three key operatives based in Turkey were identified as managing large-scale financial activity for Hamas. Israeli officials warned that any entity linked to this network will face consequences and criticized the concept of a NATO member enabling Iran-backed terror financing.
A Palestinian police officer, identified as Younis Ishtayeh, shot and wounded an Israeli soldier in the West Bank on Thursday, and Israeli counterterrorism forces killed the shooter the next day. The incident adds to growing signs of rising violence in the West Bank following months of general calm.
The recent arrest of four East Jerusalem residents for their ties to the Islamic State reflects a rise in terrorism cases linked to the jihadist group in the West Bank and Israel. Israeli authorities have noted the trend and point to online radicalization as a factor in this emerging pattern.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the border with Egypt to become a closed military zone following the detection of arms and drug smuggling by drones. Nearly 900 incidents of smuggling from Egyptian territory have reportedly happened in three months.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it killed four members of Hamas who took part in kidnapping Israelis from the Nova Music Festival on October 7. Among these Hamas members killed was Arafat Dib, whose family established a GoFundMe page to raise funds in the wake of his death. The IDF also highlighted four other Hamas members whom it killed for their roles in infiltrating Israeli territory.
Anti-Hamas militias have emerged in several locations across the Gaza Strip, aiming to erode the group’s control. Some of the militias reportedly receive Israeli support, and others rely on their tribal networks for backing.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s branch in the West Bank announced the death of two fighters in the northern West Bank following clashes with Israeli forces. Both members, a commander and a regular fighter, were allegedly planning to carry out a terrorist attack, according to the Israeli military.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and other security personnel conducted an operation in the West Bank city of Ramallah to seize funds destined for Hamas. The effort was linked to a broader military campaign that began earlier this year, targeting Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other terrorist organizations.
Following a five-month manhunt, Israeli authorities said they located and apprehended the suspect behind a series of bus bombings in central Israel earlier this year. Authorities did not detail if the individual had ties to specific terrorist groups, though there are indications the bombings were connected to a Hamas branch in the West Bank
The Israeli military and Shin Bet eliminated the leader of the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement (PMM), a small Hamas-aligned terrorist faction in the Gaza Strip. The PMM took part in the October 7, 2023 atrocities and kidnapped Israelis and foreign nationals from Israel.
The Islamic Republic has accelerated its intelligence operations in Israel, with at least five spy rings uncovered in October alone. Between October 14 and 31, Israeli authorities arrested some 20 individuals who were operating on behalf of Iran. Led by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence (MOI), Tehran’s multifaceted espionage strategy in Israel employs cyber warfare and direct human intelligence engagement.
Pagers assigned to members of the Lebanese group exploded on September 17, injuring more than 2,500 people and causing an undetermined number of deaths. A significant Israeli assault that has potentially injured thousands of Hezbollah fighters is unlikely to go unanswered.
On Saturday, the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement published a statement saying the group was active in the West Bank.
Israel’s security agency revealed on Wednesday that it thwarted another operation by Hamas in Gaza to recruit Palestinians living in the West Bank.
A year after the killing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Baha Abu al-Ata, Israel continues to come under attack from Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip.