The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) pounded terrorist targets inside northern Gaza hard on Friday night with missiles, artillery fire, and a much larger insertion of ground forces into the area than the forces that temporarily entered in recent nights in limited raids.
“We have not seen anything like this over the past 21 days,” Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst said. “We understand Israeli forces are entering the Gaza Strip in what is being described as an expanded raid. The artillery units along the border are also very active tonight.”
As Yingst spoke in multiple videos posted to his X account, multiple explosions could be heard in the background, including munitions that were hitting targets and the sound of large artillery pieces being fired.
“In recent hours we have increased the attacks in Gaza,” the IDF said in a statement. “The Air Force widely attacks underground targets and terrorist infrastructure, very significantly. In continuation of the offensive activity we carried out in the last few days, the ground forces are expanding the ground activity this evening.”
A longer update pic.twitter.com/MLevDPA2FH
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) October 27, 2023
The Times of Israel identified a video from a local publication that showed the intensity of the airstrikes being carried out inside Gaza.
WATCH:
Heavily intensified lsraeli airstrikes hit Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/GvAJDuvDLB
— TIMES OF GAZA (@Timesofgaza) October 27, 2023
U.S. and Israeli officials reportedly told ABC News that even though there has been markedly increased military operations on Friday night, this is not the major ground offensive that Israel is expected to launch inside Gaza.
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Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Peter Lerner said that they were conducting their “sweep and clear activities in order to create better conditions for optimal operational conditions on the ground.”
“So we are seeking out anti-tank capabilities, we are destroying observation posts and we are engaging the terrorists where we find them on the front lines or in the peripheral of the Gaza Strip,” he continued. “We intend on dismantling their capabilities, destroying their government, and making sure they can never use the Gaza Strip as a staging ground against our people again.”