The Palestinian government has been carrying out a rare and lethal sweep against militants in a flashpoint West Bank city, saying it was needed to foil an imminent car-bombing and other attacks.

The authority, which has struggled to crack down on powerful armed groups in the territory, is under pressure from the United States to escalate law-and-order operations.

The Biden administration asked Israel to approve U.S. military assistance to Palestinian Authority security forces for a wide-ranging operation the PA is conducting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinian, U.S. and Israeli officials told Axios.

The operation, which began yesterday morning, has prompted a general strike across the area, with businesses, schools, and UNRWA offices closing in protest

At least one person was killed as Palestinian security forces clashed with Palestinian militants and set up checkpoints on Saturday in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, residents and medics said.

Security forces of the Palestinian Authority (PA) have clashed with resistance fighters in the northern occupied West Bank, media reports have said.

A man was killed and a youth injured when Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces conducted an operation against members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in the West Bank, the WAFA news agency reported.

Palestinians plead for unity and an end to clashes between Palestinian Authority forces and fighters in the Jenin refugee camp.