Israel's defense minister said Sunday troops would remain “for the coming year” in parts of the occupied West Bank where they have launched a weekslong offensive and would prevent tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians from returning,

The Israeli military deployed tanks into the occupied West Bank for the first time in more than 20 years. The deployment comes amid Israel’s “operation Iron Wall” campaign, which launched last month seeking to “eliminate terrorist strongholds” in West Bank refugee camps,

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that he had instructed the military "to launch additional operational activity against terrorist centers" in a video released by the government said to be filmed in the Tulkarem refugee camp in the occupied West Bank.

A month-long sweep for Palestinian militants in the northern West Bank could continue for a year, Israel’s defense minister said, adding that residents who fled will be barred from returning and that a contested UN relief agency’s work there will be halted.

The Israeli military is expanding its operations in the occupied West Bank and will remain in some refugee camps for the “coming year,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said Sunday.