Israeli military operation in Qabatiya met local resistance 

Thursday June 07, 2007 10:43 by Ali Samodi - IMEMC News nisreen at imemc dot org

Residents fought an Israeli army unit, which invaded Qabatiya, a town southeast of Jenin city in northern West Bank, on Thursday at dawn.

A massive Israeli force stormed the town from several directions; soldiers were deployed all over the town and started searching homes. They ransacked scores of residences and forced families out, witnesses reported, adding that Israeli troops opened random fire at civilian dwellings.

Local resistance groups clashed with the army in an attempt to stop the invasion. Members of Al Aqsa brigades of Fatah, of Al Qdus brigades of Hamas and of popular resistance committees and the invaders started a deafening gunfight, according to local sources.

No injures have been reported at this time.

Currently, Israeli soldiers carry out a massive military operation -- searching homes and turning some of them into military bases. The Israeli army said that its offensive campaign aims at locating and kidnapping "Wanted Palestinians".

Translated by Nisreen Qumsieh – IMEMC News Room