2023-05-09 00:46:09
A leader of the Islamic Jihad, an Iranian-backed terrorist group, was killed in an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) airstrike in the Gaza Strip, Al Jazeera reports.
Details of Israel’s airstrike in Gaza
Early Tuesday morning, explosions were recorded in Gaza when Israeli forces attacked the Islamic Jihad terror group. The head of the organization’s military wing was killed in the attacks, according to a senior group official cited by Al Jazeera. Other reports also indicate that several important figures of the group died in the attacks.
Dozens of attacks were reported across the Strip, including in Rafah and Gaza City. Witnesses say an explosion hit the top floor of an apartment building in Gaza City and a house in the southern city of Rafah.
The IDF confirmed in a statement that it was “attacking Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza.” Several casualties were reported, including at least one person killed in the Rafah attack.
Precautions and security measures in Israel
Israeli residents in areas 40 kilometers from Gaza were instructed to enter bomb shelters for fear of retaliatory attacks. Local authorities opened public shelters and canceled classes in areas near Gaza. Outdoor gatherings were also banned and border crossings between Israel and Gaza were closed.
These attacks come days following Gazan terrorists fired nearly three dozen rockets into Israel in response to the death of a suspected high-ranking member of the group in an Israeli prison.
Reactions of the Israeli authorities
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under pressure from members of his cabinet to give Gaza a tougher response to the rockets. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir applauded the attack, tweeting: “About time!”
Background and perspectives
The airstrikes are similar to one carried out in August 2022, in which Israel bombed places where Islamic Jihad commanders were staying, sparking a three-day barrage of rocket fire and retaliatory strikes.
The consequences of this latest attack remain to be seen, but it might escalate the conflict between Israel and terror groups in Gaza.
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