- Several rockets have been fired at Israel after the targeted killing of a Palestinian militant leader in the Gaza Strip.
- According to Palestinian sources, at least ten people were killed and at least 55 injured in the attacks by the Israeli military on the Gaza Strip.
- The Israeli military had previously attacked several targets in the coastal strip after threats from the militant Palestinian organization.
Sirens could be heard in several cities as far south as the coastal city of Tel Aviv on Friday night. According to Israeli media reports, the rockets landed in open areas or were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system. According to media reports, Tel Aviv has opened public air raid shelters out of fear of further rocket attacks.
“We are attacking Tel Aviv and the cities of the center and the surrounding area with more than 100 rockets,” said the organization’s military arm late Friday evening. This is the answer to the assassination of leader al-Jabari.
Israeli forces had previously killed the military chief of the militant Palestinian organization Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in the Gaza Strip, Taisir al-Jabari. According to the military, the senior commander was responsible for numerous rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip and planned attacks on civilians. The Israeli military reported on Twitter that the attacks were in response to threats made by the Islamic Jihad group. The PIJ is classified as a terrorist organization by the EU and the US.
At least ten dead after airstrikes
According to Palestinian sources, at least ten people, including a five-year-old child, were killed in the large-scale military operation involving several airstrikes. At least 55 people were injured. Militant Palestinians announced retaliation. Israeli Prime Minister Jair Lapid said on Friday evening: “Israel is not interested in a broad operation in Gaza, but is not afraid of it either.”
On Monday, the leader of the PIJ in the West Bank, Bassem Saadi, was arrested during an Israeli anti-terrorist operation. The organisation’s military arm, Saraja al-Quds, then threatened to attack. The PIJ is closely linked to Israel’s arch-enemy Iran and regularly carries out rocket attacks on Israel from the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military cordoned off areas on the edge of the coastal strip for several days and increased the alert.
A jihadi military chief was also killed in 2019
In 2019, Israel had already specifically killed the jihadi military chief, Baha Abu al-Ata. This was followed at the time by massive rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip on Israeli locations and counterattacks by the Israeli Air Force in the coastal strip. After a few days, a ceasefire was agreed with the help of Egyptian and United Nations negotiators.
Around two million people live in the Gaza Strip under very poor conditions. Hamas, classified by the EU as a terrorist organization, violently seized power in 2007. Israel then tightened a blockade of the area, supported by Egypt. Both countries justify the measure with security interests.