Smoke is seen rising into the air during an Israeli raid in Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, 19 June 2023; Credit: Reuters/Raneen Sawafta

JENIN, West Bank (Reuters) - Israeli forces killed two Palestinians and wounded at least 28 others during a fierce clash that erupted on Monday 19 June 2023, as the army raided a flashpoint town in the occupied West Bank to carry out arrests, local gunmen and medical officials said.

Israel's military had no immediate comment on events in Jenin, where media reports said several soldiers were also hurt.

Video circulated on social media showed an explosion enveloping an armoured vehicle as shots rang out. Another clip showed what appeared to be an Israeli army helicopter launching a missile.

The slain Palestinians were not immediately identified. The Palestinian health ministry said one of them was a minor.

The armed group Islamic Jihad said it was taking part in the clashes in Jenin, among areas in the northern West Bank that has seen intensified raids by Israel over the past fifteen months amid a spate of Palestinian street attacks in its cities.

At least one Palestinian was detained during Monday's raid, witnesses in Jenin said.