Israeli bulldozers have demolished large areas of the now virtually empty Jenin refugee camp and appear to be carving wide roadways through its once-crowded warren of alleyways, echoing tactics already employed in Gaza as troops prepare for a long-term stay.

Israel stationed tanks outside Jenin refugee camp on Monday (February 24), one day after tanks were sent into the Israeli-occupied West Bank for the first time in more than 20 years.

Transport Minister Miri Regev paused all buses, trains and light rail trains in the country so that checks for explosive devices could be carried out, according to Israeli media Devices in two other buses failed to explode,

By Raneen Sawafta and James Mackenzie JENIN, West Bank/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel sent tanks into the occupied West Bank for the first time in more than 20 years on Sunday as it ordered the military to prepare for an "extended stay" to fight Palestinian militant groups in the area's refugee camps.

Palestinian families and well-wishers waited for long hours for the release of their sons and loved ones on Saturday. When it became clear to them that there was a postponement, some decided not to return home until the prisoners were released.

Israel's defense minister says a month-long sweep for Palestinian militants in the northern West Bank could continue for a year. Bloomberg's Dan Williams speaks to Jennifer Zabasajja on Horizons Middle East and Africa on the significance of this operation.

The Israel Defense Force confirmed Sunday that it has deployed tanks to the West Bank as it expands counter-terrorism operations in Jenin.

By car and on foot, through muddy olive groves and snipers’ sight lines, tens of thousands of Palestinians in recent weeks have fled Israeli military operations across the northern West Bank — the largest displacement in the occupied territory since the 1967 Mideast war.

A family in central Gaza were overjoyed to return to their home after moving from place to place at least seven times during the war between Israel and Hamas.

Israel is deepening its crackdown on the Palestinian territory and has said it is determined to stamp out militancy amid a rise in attacks.

Israel on Sunday said troops would stay in West Bank refugee camps for the coming year, announcing expanded military operations including tank deployments, after the displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians.

For the first time since the war began, Muhammad Juma Khattab returned to the campus to see what's left of it. In the piles of rubble, the professor finds burnt books, old transcripts and office furniture as he walks the spaces he used to teach in.