IDF: We killed 160 terrorists
After a comparatively quiet night, Gaza-based terrorists proceeded with their attacks on Israeli towns surrounding the Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning.
IAF strikes inside Gaza. (Majdi Fathi/TPS)
Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists fired some 90 rockets at Israeli targets on Monday night. Some 20 of the rockets fell short and exploded inside the Strip. The Iron Dome defence system intercepted dozens of the rockets. No significant damage or injuries were reported on the Israeli side.
On Tuesday morning, an Israeli home in the Shaar HaNegev area incurred a direct hit. Damage was caused but no one was injured.
Hamas failed to follow through with its threat to bomb the Tel Aviv area on Monday night.
Since the beginning of Operation Guardian of the Walls, over 3,200 rockets have been fired from the Gaza Strip at Israeli territory, of which approximately 460 failed launches fell in the Gaza Strip.
The Iron Dome Air Defense System has an intercept rate of approximately 90%.
The IDF proceeded with fulfilling the objectives of Operation Guardian of the Walls to uproot Hamas’ terror infrastructure.
IDF spokesman Hadai Zilberman updated Tuesday morning that the IDF has documented the death of about 130 Hamas terrorists and about 30 Islamic Jihad terrorists. The number of killed terrorists is probably higher.
Overnight, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) commenced with phase D to destroy Hamas’ so-called Metro underground city and dropped 110 accurate munitions on these targets.
The IAF in now focusing on the Rimal neighborhood in western Gaza. Rimal is an upscale neighborhood with a lot of Hamas assets.
The IAF has so far destroyed some 65 multi-barreled launchers in Gaza, including six recently that were aimed at the Tel Aviv area.
Also on Monday night, the IAF hit the main operations center of the Hamas Internal Security Forces in Rimal
The operations center was a central part of Hamas terror infrastructure. It served as a base for military intelligence operatives. Prior to the strike, the IDF provided advance warning to the occupants of the building and allowed sufficient time for them to evacuate the site.
On Monday afternoon, the IAF hit Hamas’ naval assets.
Over the last days, Israeli naval troops spotted suspicious activity in the Northern Gaza Strip, near assets of Hamas’ naval forces, and tracked the movements of a number of suspect enemy combatants.
Using IAF aircraft surveillance and naval capabilities, several of the suspects were spotted with a vessel, a Hamas submergible naval weapon. The vessel was being taken to the shore and appeared to be on its way to carry out a terror attack in Israeli waters.
An IDF naval vessel and an aircraft targeted the operators and the weapon and eliminated the threat.
The IDF further targeted and killed Hasam Abu Harbid, Commander of the Northern Division in the Islamic Jihad terror organization
Abu Harbid was a commander in the organization for over 15 years and was behind several anti-tank missile terror attacks against Israeli civilians, including the attack on the first day of the operation in which a civilian was injured.
Additionally, he has consistently led rocket launches against Israel, as well as shooting attacks at IDF soldiers.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated Monday night after an assessment that “the directive is to continue striking at the terrorist targets. The IDF is doing this very well. We will continue to take whatever action necessary to restore quiet and security to all residents of Israel.”
