The explosions tore through the city of Jenin, in the occupied West Bank, sending plumes of smoke into the sky.

Three U.S. Army soldiers were onboard a BlackHawk helicopter that collided with a passenger jet near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, U.S. officials said on Wednesday.

"The IDF destroyed a short time ago a number of buildings in Jenin used as terrorist infrastructure," Israel's military said in a statement.

Israel has destroyed multiple buildings in the occupied West Bank’s Jenin refugee camp, hours after its forces killed a 73-year-old man, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said. At least 20 homes were destroyed in the attack on Sunday,

The sudden expansion of Israeli security operations in the West Bank has killed at least 10 people and follows the start of the delicate ceasefire process in Gaza, by which Israeli hostages are released in stages and will also see the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Israel has stepped up its operations in the West Bank in recent weeks, since the ceasefire in Gaza came into effect.

The action came a day after President Donald Trump said he will lift sanctions on ultranationalist Israeli settlers who attacked Palestinian villages.

As Israel withdraws some of its troops from Gaza during a cease-fire there, it has turned attention to another Palestinian territory — in particular a city with a history of militant activity.

The United Nations secretary-general has warned that Israel might seize the opportunity to annex the occupied West Bank.

Thick clouds were seen rising from the Palestinian city where Israeli forces have been conducting a massive operation for nearly two weeks that the Israeli military says is targeted at local militants,

Throngs of people eagerly waited on Thursday for more than 100 Palestinian prisoners who were released from Israel in exchange for hostages held in Gaza.