Israel's military have killed three members of a "terrorist cell" in a rare West Bank drone strike.

It was the first drone strike carried out by the Israeli military in the area since 2006 and was undertaken on Wednesday.

The IDF said the "terrorist" cell had fired on a military checkpoint in the Jenin area and were responsible for several other attacks on communities across the West Bank.

Two of the terrorists were also members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad while the third was a member of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

A statement stated that intelligence led IDF personnel to identify the cell "inside a suspicious vehicle, after the cell carried out a shooting adjacent to the town of Jalamah."

"Following the identification of the terrorist cell, an IDF UAV fired toward the cell and thwarted them," it added referring to an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said: "I praise the security forces who a short time ago carried out a targeted elimination of a terrorist squad that was firing towards Israeli territory and had previously carried out several shooting attacks.

“Against terrorism, we will take an offensive and proactive approach. We will use all the means at our disposal, and we will exact the heaviest price from any terrorist or terrorist courier. We will pursue and overtake our enemies.”

Kamal Abu al-Roub, deputy Jenin governor, said there were "three dismembered bodies inside" the car which he said had been hit by missiles.

Roub cited information from firefighters sent to extinguish the blaze which engulfed the vehicle.

It comes as violence in the area escalated with at least four Israelis and 13 Palestinians dead this week.