Ramallah (dpa) - A large Israeli armoured force, backed by helicopter gunships, drove into Tulkarm Monday and began widespread searches in the northern West Bank city, witnesses reported.

They said soldiers ordered residents of the city's refugee camp to gather in school yards as their homes were being combed.

The sound of shooting and explosions from what appeared to be stun grenades could be heard, they added. Two people were reported slightly wounded when they confronted the force with stones.

Israeli military sources said troops were conducting "military activity against the terrorist infrastructure" in the city. The army acted on the basis of intelligence information that Palestinians were about to launch suicide bombings from the city, they added.

The army also demolished a house in the town of Yatta, south of Hebron, belonging to the family of a Palestinian militant from the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades wanted by Israel. dpa mak ok jab mga