The Islamic Jihad group said in a statement that one of the men killed was its leader.

There was no immediate comment on the incident from the Israeli military.

Six Palestinians were killed in separate incidents earlier this week, amid spiralling violence in the West Bank

Israel has cracked down on protesters across the West Bank in near-daily raids that have often ended in deadly clashes, following a series of fatal street attacks in Israel earlier this year.

The Palestinian health ministry said 210 Palestinians have been killed this year, including those who died during a brief conflict in Gaza in August.

At the same time, 23 civilians and eight security personnel have been killed in attacks in Israel and the West Bank, according to Israeli military figures, which show 136 Palestinians killed but do not include Gaza casualties.