The Israel Air Force launched retaliatory strikes against Gaza terrorists a few minutes after midnight Thursday night, attacking terrorist positions in response to a barrage of rocket fire aimed at southern Israel late Wednesday night.
Israeli warplanes were spotted over northern, southern and central Gaza and explosions were heard across the enclave.
Two missiles were launched at the Saladin military camp run by Gaza’s ruling Hamas terrorist organization, the group’s “Tunis” military site and a Hamas position east of Zeitoun, according to local sources.
Israeli combat pilots also struck an area east of Beit Hanoun, in Khan Younis and surrounds. Israeli combat soldiers carried out artillery strikes on a Hamas observation post east of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, along the Egyptian border.
“Israeli fighter jets attacked a terrorist tunnel leading out of the Beit Hanoun area and another tunnel emanating from the Khan Younis area that was attacked during Operation “Guardian of the Walls,” the IDF said in a statement.
“Since then, efforts to restore it have been identified. Both tunnels did not cross into Israeli territory and neither posed a threat to the residents of Israel.
“In addition, two sites for the production of weapons used by the Hamas terrorist organization, in the north and in the center of the Gaza Strip, were attacked as well.
“The attack was carried out in response to Hamas’ security violations in recent days,” the statement said, adding, “The terrorist organization Hamas bears responsibility for what happened and is the one who will pay the price for the security violations against the State of Israel.”
Earlier in the evening, public bomb shelters were opened in the cities of Ashkelon, Ashdod, Kiryat Malachi, Be’er Sheva, Tel Aviv, Yavne, Rosh Ha’Ayin, Rishon LeZiyon, Modi’in, and Rehovot in anticipation of a possible escalation from Gaza. City officials also recommended that residents prepare to use their private bomb shelters (“Mamad”) as well, although the IDF Home Front Command still has not yet issued any statements or orders to prepare safe spaces.
“There is full coordination between the resistance in Gaza and the operations room of the resistance axis in Lebanon,” the Al-Mayadeen news network reported from Beirut. The “resistance axis in Lebanon” is a reference the Iran’s Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah.
“We call on all our people, our forces and our factions to move united in an open battle and confront Israel and its settlers and thwart their Judaization plans in Jerusalem and the Temple Mount,” Hamas said in a statement quoted by military blogger Abu Tzalah.
A few minutes prior to the start of the retaliation, the Hamas-led “Joint Command Room” of the Gaza terrorist organizations issued a statement in anticipation of Israeli retaliation.
“In light of the enemy’s threats towards the resistance and the residents of Gaza, we emphasize that the resistance is fully prepared to respond with all its might to any aggression and to protect our people wherever they may be,” the statement read.
“The criminal enemy must put an end to its barbaric aggression against Al-Aqsa worshippers and cease exporting its internal crisis towards the Palestinian people and their holy places.”
