The IDF sent three additional battalions to the West Bank to reinforce four already in the region, following the violence in Jerusalem and the general escalation of tensions in the region. Aviv Kohavi was carried out following a situation assessment held at the Salem base in the Menashe regional brigade and in the presence of the central commander of the central command, Major-General. Tamir Yadai, Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Major-General. Rassan Aliyan, Commander of the Judea and Samaria Division, Brig.-General. Yaniv Alaluf and Head of Civil Administration Brig.-Gen. Fares Atila: Additional forces have been deployed with the aim of enhancing the readiness of the troops, with an emphasis on strengthening the defenses in the seam area. The IDF Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General. Aviv Kohavi holds an assessment of the situation at the Salem base in the Menashe regional brigade, Sunday, May 9, 2021. (IDF Spokesman’s Unit)Israeli security forces raised their alert level on Friday and sent more than two and a half more battalions to reinforce their troops after two Palestinians were killed earlier today and a third was seriously injured after opening the fire at the Salem base in the northern West Bank. Yadai called it a “major attack” which was “prevented through the bitter, determined and professional combat efforts of border police officers.” The three gunmen, all armed with knives and improvised Palestinian-made Carlo submachine guns, opened fire on the door to the base in Salem before they were shot dead by border police officers. There were no casualties among the Israeli forces; the third Palestinian attacker was evacuated to HaEmek medical center in Afula.

During his visit to the base, Kohavi thanked the border police for thwarting an attack which “could have affected the situation across the country”. A rare statement threatening Israel by Hamas terror chief Mohamed Deif prompted the military to prepare for a range of possible scenarios, both in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. More than 200 Palestinians and 17 police officers were injured Friday in the worst violence in years. in Jerusalem where tens of thousands of Muslim worshipers gathered to mark the last prayers of Ramadan Friday at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. On Saturday evening and Sunday morning, more than 100 Palestinians were injured in clashes with forces of security in Jerusalem after more than 90,000 worshipers visited Al-Aqsa -Aqsa Mosque to mark Laylat al-Qadr which commemorates the night Muslims believe the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Stinist groups – Fatah, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad – have all threatened Israel. According to the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, Hamas rejected a message sent by Israel through Egyptian mediators calling on the terror group to prevent further escalation of violence. Incendiary balloons launched from the coastal enclave set off dozens of attacks. fires in southern Israel. According to Palestinian media, the “night confusion units” resumed their riots along the security fence. A rocket was launched when it fell in a field. The IAF retaliated by hitting a Hamas post.
The IDF had expected more violence from Gaza on Saturday and believes that despite threats from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, terrorist groups in the stranded coastal enclave are more deterred than one might think.