Israeli security forces “dismantled a ticking time bomb” in Thursday morning’s raid on a terrorist cell planning to carry out an attack on a civilian target in Israel, a senior Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officer said.

The risky and high-stakes three-hour operation was carried out in the midst of the Jenin refugee camp by IDF Special Units, Border Patrols, the Yamam counter-terrorism unit and the Shin Bet security agency. At least nine wanted terrorists—mostly affiliated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group— were killed in the operation.

Israel is preparing for retaliatory attacks, including from Palestinian terrorist groups based in the Gaza Strip.

“The terrorists have put numerous barricades in front of the hideout and opened fire once the Israeli forces arrived. We responded with targeted precision shots, grenades, and an anti-tank missile,” the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said. He stressed that Israeli security forces have not relaxed their stringent rules of engagement and only opened fire when faced with grave and immediate danger.

The commander of IDF’s West Bank division Brigadier-General Avi Blut was leading the operation inside the camp. Terrorists targeted his armored vehicle with gas bombs and pipe bombs.

“The cell has already carried out attacks and was about to carry out attacks against soldiers and civilians. We needed to act immediately unless the cell should have operated. Our troops are prepared for any scenario in Gaza as well,” the IDF official said.

“We will continue operating in Jenin and in the Casbah of Nablus. Had we relaxed our rules of engagement, significant collateral damage would have been involved.”

One of the Palestinian gunmen killed in the raid served in the ranks of Palestinian Civil Police Force, an official body tasked with cooperating with the Israeli military in counterterrorism efforts in the West Bank.