The Israeli military continues its offensive against Hamas, with ongoing efforts to uncover and destroy rocket launchers and weapon stockpiles, as reported by the Israel Defense Forces on Friday.
In the central Gaza village of Jahar al-Dikh, soldiers located a Hamas weapons warehouse and called in an airstrike to destroy rocket launchers used to target Israel. In Gaza City, forces found mortars and explosives in a house near a kindergarten, as well as a rocket launcher aimed at Israel and an RPG in a nearby house.
In Khan Yunis, soldiers discovered military uniforms, explosive charges, and combat equipment inside a residential home. An Israel Air Force fighter jet, directed by ground forces, eliminated a Hamas terrorist planting explosives and targeted a terror squad preparing attacks.
Engineering forces also destroyed a tunnel used by terrorists to fire an RPG at troops. Over the past two days, raids were conducted at a school on the outskirts of Al Shati in northern Gaza, where weapons and maps belonging to Hamas were found.
These developments follow the IDF’s announcement of achieving operational control of the Hamas stronghold neighborhood of Shuja’iyya in northern Gaza. The IDF engaged in close-quarters combat with terrorists, who used firearms and explosives against the 36th Division, which successfully seized the area. The division eliminated terrorists in intense battles and carried out extensive attacks in the neighborhood, hitting hundreds of targets with fire support.
Israeli forces also identified numerous tunnel shafts in homes, schools, and medical clinics and seized a significant number of Hamas weapons hidden in civilian residences. The Paratroopers Brigade’s combat team destroyed more than 100 structures used by Hamas, exposed and destroyed dozens of tunnel openings, and arrested many terrorists who surrendered. These individuals were subsequently handed over to security forces for further investigation.
Additionally, in response to a barrage of anti-tank missile strikes by Hezbollah on northern Israeli communities, Israeli Air Force fighter jets targeted various terror-related sites in Lebanese territory. These strikes hit Hezbollah launch posts, military structures, terrorist infrastructure, and other targets. The IDF’s response came after Hezbollah fired projectiles toward northern Israeli areas, resulting in two Israeli civilians sustaining minor injuries in the Dovev area. Sirens were activated in northern Israel due to a hostile aircraft, but the suspicious targets that crossed into Israeli territory from Lebanon were successfully intercepted by the IAF.
