Hello and welcome to News Hour from the BBC World Service

we're coming to you live from London I'm James Menendez and we're going to

begin today in the Middle East.

That's the sound of Israeli bulldozers digging up the streets, not in Gaza but in another Palestinian territory the

occupied West Bank where Israeli forces are carrying out what's been described

by local reporters as the biggest military operation there for two decades.

Israeli raids in the West Bank Against, Palestinian armed groups have been going on for years,

but the number and intensity of those operations has grown since the war in Gaza erupted last October.

Today at least nine Palestinians have been killed according to the local health

ministry. Well a little while ago David Menza the Israeli government spokesman had this to say about what was

happening. Our policy is clear there will be no safe place, no places of sanctuary, and no places where terrorists can

feel safe where they feel they are in control.

As such, a targeted operation is taking place to thwart terrorist activity in Samaria.

The IDF and our security forces are operating in Torquarem, Janine and other places from which murderous attacks have been launched.

We will fight to eliminate terrorism wherever it emerges.

We know Iran is working to make this another front from which to attack Israel.

Israel is on high alert. Our security forces are deployed extensively to thwart another terror attack and we will settle accounts

with any terrorists responsible for terror attacks against our people.

Smeria being what the Israeli government calls the northern part of the occupied West Bank.

Well in a moment we'll hear from one senior doctor at a hospital in Janine, one of the

cities targeted, but first let's hear

from the BBC's John Donison who's in Ramallah in the West Bank he told me more

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