The Israeli Air Force attacked approximately 100 terror targets across the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, including rocket launchers and weapons storage facilities, the military said Friday afternoon.
The strikes were carried out in support of ground troops battling Palestinian terrorists.
IDF troops operated in the Gaza City area, where they demolished weapons storage facilities and killed terrorists above and below ground. In the past day, several explosive devices planted to target Israeli troops were discovered and destroyed.
Troops were also active in northern Gaza, as well as in the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Yunis, working to locate and dismantle weapons caches and underground terrorist infrastructure.
According to the military, more than 100 terrorists have been killed by IDF units under the Southern Command over the past week. Among those killed were Hakham Issa, head of the Combat Support Staff in Hamas’s “military” wing; Mohammed al-Sheikh, a commander in the Khan Yunis Brigade’s Operations Department; Issa Abbas, a company commander in the Zeitoun Battalion; and Mohammed Jarasha, a company commander in the Sabra Battalion.
Since the resumption of ground operations following the expiration of a ceasefire on March 18, the IAF has struck more than 7,500 terrorist infrastructure sites in Gaza.
The IDF currently has operational control over approximately 65% of the territory.
“The IDF continues to operate in the Gaza Strip in accordance with the objectives of the war, with the goal of protecting Israeli civilians and communities near the Gaza Strip,” the military said in a statement.
On Thursday night, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Efie Defrin said that the military was nearing completion of its objectives for the current phase of the war and will soon present its proposed next steps to the political leadership.
“Since the beginning of ‘Operation Gideon’s Chariots,’ we have severed Hamas’s control over wide areas of the Gaza Strip and undermined its governance. We are systematically and thoroughly dismantling the terrorist infrastructure, while maintaining a firm and stable hold on the ground,” said Defrin.
“We are achieving long-term strategic gains and preventing Hamas from rebuilding its centers of power,” he added.
Five brigades are pressing forward with determination against Hamas battalions, Defrin said.
The 98th Division has joined the fighting in northern Gaza, operating on the outskirts of Gaza City, including the Shejaiya and Zeitoun neighborhoods. The 162nd Division is engaged in battles in the Jabalia area, while the 143rd Division continues to secure the Rafah sector. The 36th Division remains active in the Khan Yunis region, and the 99th Reserve Division began operations in northern Gaza last week.
“Hamas’s governing control in the Gaza Strip is steadily eroding,” said Defrin. “We have cumulatively achieved the elimination of dozens of Hamas commanders and senior operatives, from the field level to brigade commanders and leadership.
“We have achieved significant progress, but there are still missions ahead,” he continued. “At every stage—every action, every decision—the goals of the war remain clear, chief among them the return of the hostages. This is the paramount mission, one that every soldier and commander in the Gaza Strip, and beyond, carries with him.”
Defense Minister Israel Katz visited Rafah on Wednesday, accompanied by OC Southern Command Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor and Gaza Division commander Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram.
Katz praised the dedication and resolve of the commanders and soldiers, describing them as heroic and emphasizing their unwavering commitment to defending Israel. “There is no other army like this in the world,” he said, calling on the public to embrace the troops and take pride in their efforts.
