Israeli forces they have killed the number two of the Islamic Jihad Palestine (YIP) in an attack aerial attack on a residential building in the Gaza Strip. The operation, which comes after days of friction after the arrest of a senior Palestinian militant leader, has left at least 10 dead and more than 50 wounded. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, among the deceased is a five year old girl.
Palestinian medical and security sources in Gaza have confirmed the death of Taysir al Jabari, leader of the armed wing of the YIP in the center and north of the Strip who headed the unit responsible for launching rockets into Israel.
“The IDF is currently attacking in the Gaza Strip. A special situation has been declared on the Israeli home front“, the Israeli army said in a statement, adding that they would give more details on the matter. Later, it estimated that 15 people have been killed in the attacks that, according to the Israeli forces, were directed against YIP targets.
Following the initial bombardments, the Israeli army has continued to attack Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza, including a second round of attacks on the group’s military posts.
In addition, a spokesman for the Israeli Army has reported that its forces will continue to attack in the Gaza Strip in the framework of Operation Dawn Break, an offensive against the Palestinian group. “We took the initiative and we are not done yet,” said the spokesman during a call with journalists.
The tension in the area began on Monday night when Israeli troops arrested Bassam al-Saadi, an important leader of the group in the West Bank, in the Jenin city refugee camp. Hours later, Israel decreed the closure of the border crossings with Gaza for fear of a retaliatory attack, as well as multiple roads in the Israeli communities adjoining the enclave, further restricting Palestinian movement.
Palestinian militias fire rockets at Israel in response
Israeli authorities warned hours later of multiple rocket attacks on Israeli cities following the attacks on Gaza. The rockets have set off anti-aircraft alarms in numerous Israeli towns, both in the communities bordering the Strip and in the center of the country.
The JID, for its part, claims to have fired more than 100 rockets at Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv.
“In a first response to the assassination of leader Tayseer al-Jaabari, the Jerusalem Brigades bombarded Tel Aviv and cities in and around Gaza with more than 100 rockets,” the statement said.
JID Secretary General Ziad al Nakhala had previously threatened to attack central Israel in response to the bombing of Gaza. In a statement he stated that “Tel Aviv will be a target for our missiles“.
Rockets fired by Palestinian militias into Israel AP AP Photo/Fatima Shbair
“The occupation (Israel) will pay a high price for its aggression against Gaza, and there are no red lines and no mediation after today,” said Nakhala, who has called for the mobilization of the Palestinian people to give Israel a strong and decisive response.
Lapid says Israel is not afraid of a major conflict with Islamic Jihad
Following the offensive, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid has said that Israel will not allow terrorist groups in Gaza to “set the agenda in the area adjacent to the Strip and threaten the citizens of the State of Israel.”
He has indicated that his country “is not interested in a major conflict” with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, but he has warned that this scenario “does not generate fear”.
“Israel will not sit idly by when there are those who try to harm its civilians. This government has a zero tolerance policy for any attempted attack, of any kind, from Gaza into Israeli territory,” he added.
USA and Egypt mediate in the conflict
According to the state television channel Extra News, citing an official source, Egypt is mediating between Israelis and Palestinians to prevent an escalation after the attack.
For its part, the United States has also said it is maintaining contacts with Israelis, Palestinians and their regional partners to “achieve peace and calm” in Gaza after the bombing.
“We urge all parties to avoid further escalation. We continue our unwavering commitment to Israel’s security in the world. We continue to work to strengthen all aspects of the US-Israeli alliance,” said the coordinator of Communications from the White House National Security Council, John Kirby