Huge firefight erupts as Israeli forces raid Jenin, leaving 5 Palestinians dead

An Israeli raid into one of the tensest cities in the occupied West Bank erupted Monday into a massive firefight, leaving at least five Palestinians dead and dozens wounded as the Israeli military struggled to rescue troops under heavy fire.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said of the five dead, two were in their teens and three in their 20s. At least 91 were wounded in the clashes, 23 of them in critical to severe condition, the ministry said. Eight Israeli troops were injured and successfully evacuated, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Israeli Air Force attack helicopters opened fire from the skies over Jenin to help Israeli troops leave the city, the IDF said.

About 11 hours after Palestinian sources first said the incursion began, IDF international spokesperson Lt. Col. Richard Hecht told CNN that Israeli troops and vehicles were out of Jenin.

Hecht earlier said the soldiers were "not trapped" and had "moved to other protected vehicles involved in the extraction."

He had noted at least five vehicles were stuck, adding: "It's not looking good. It's going to take a few hours. It's going to be pretty harsh."

It was the first time since the Second Intifada that Israeli helicopters had opened fire while evacuating wounded troops, Israel Army Radio reported. The Second Intifada - a major Palestinian uprising - ended in 2005.