Israel targeted Islamic Jihad in Gaza for a second day, prompting Palestinian militants to launch Rockets across the border, setting off alarms in Tel Aviv. Egypt initiated mediation efforts to end the conflict.
The recent occurrence of cross-border fire, marking the second such incident in a week, was triggered by Israel’s airstrikes on three Islamic Jihad commanders who were allegedly involved in planning attacks against Israelis. This action follows a period of escalating violence in the region.
Sirens Sound in Israel as Rockets Launched
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the significant blow dealt to Islamic Jihad but cautioned that the campaign is not yet concluded. The Israeli military carried out strikes on more than 130 targets, including sites used for launching rockets, resulting in explosions across the Palestinian enclave.
During a late-night bombing in Khan Younis, a southern Gaza area, the head of Islamic Jihad’s rocket launching force, identified as Ali Ghali, along with two other militants, were killed according to statements by the Israeli military and Islamic Jihad.
As the airstrikes commenced, sirens were sounded in Israel, primarily in border communities and later in and around Tel Aviv. Netanyahu reported that over 400 rockets were fired, with a quarter falling short in Gaza.
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White House Advisor Urges De-escalation in Conflict
The joint command of Gaza’s militant groups, which includes Islamic Jihad and Hamas, claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks.
However, Israeli military officials stated that they had not observed any signs of Hamas, believed to possess a significant number of rockets, participating in the missile launches.
The Israeli strikes were specifically targeted at sites associated with the smaller group Islamic Jihad, an Iranian-backed militant organization operating in Gaza and increasingly active in the occupied West Bank.
White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan emphasized the importance of de-escalation during a call with Tzachi Hanegbi, the head of Israel’s National Security Council.
According to Palestinian health officials, the ongoing conflict has resulted in the deaths of 24 Palestinians, including women, children, Islamic Jihad commanders, and gunmen. Details surrounding the death of a 10-year-old girl on Wednesday remain unclear.
The militant groups justified their rocket attacks as retaliation for what they described as the savage and treacherous bombardment of civilian houses by Israeli forces, leading to the loss of innocent lives.
Israel’s Iron Dome aerial defense system intercepted rockets mid-air, as evidenced by explosions, and no casualties were reported in Israel. Trails of rockets ascending from Gaza were visible during the attacks.
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