By Staff, Agencies

Palestinian resistance fighters have opened fire on “Israeli” Occupation Forces [IOF] troops in the West Bank city of Nablus, amid heightened tensions in the occupied territories.

Palestinian sources said resistance fighters intensively opened fire on an “Israeli” military position on Jabal al-Tur [Gerizim Mountain] in Nablus on Sunday night.

The IOF has imposed a strict siege on Nablus since October 11, blocking the city’s entrances with military checkpoints and earth mounds, while “Israeli” drones constantly hover over the northern West Bank city.

The siege came in the wake of a shooting operation carried out by the Lions’ Den group near Nablus which killed an “Israeli” soldier.

The siege, which “Israeli” officials said will continue until further notice, has had economic repercussions on a city that has a particular industrial and commercial importance for the West Bank.

The shooting took place as the Lions’ Den group on Sunday vowed a strong response to the assassination of one of its members earlier in the day.

In the early hours of Sunday, Tamer al-Kilani was killed in Nablus in a bomb blast blamed on IOF.

IOF troops have recently been conducting overnight raids and killings in the northern occupied West Bank, mainly in the cities of Jenin and Nablus, where new groups of Palestinian resistance fighters have been formed.

At least 175 Palestinians have been martyred by IOF troops in the occupied West Bank as well as in the besieged Gaza Strip since the beginning of the year, including 51 Palestinians during the “Israeli” entity’s three-day assault on Gaza in August, according to the Palestinian Authority’s health ministry.

Local and international rights groups have condemned the entity’s excessive use of force and “shoot-to-kill policy” against Palestinians.

Moreover, reports said Palestinian acts of resistance intensified in the past 24 hours amid increased attacks by “Israeli” settlers and military.

The Palestinian Information Center said Palestinian fighters conducted 23 operations on Sunday, leaving three “Israeli” forces and settlers injured.