The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) pounded Palestinian terrorist organizations on Monday night and into Tuesday morning as fighting in Gaza and in surrounding areas continued into its second week.
“Hamas also fired volleys of rockets into southern Israel overnight, but their attacks have slowed in recent days as the Israeli military has pummeled their underground tunnel networks and launch sites,” The Washington Post reported. “The Israeli military said 62 fighter jets had dropped 110 ‘guided armaments’ on 65 targets, including Hamas commanders, rocket launchpads and the militant group’s tunnel network.”
The latest numbers from the IDF indicate that nearly 3,500 rockets have been fired from Palestinian terrorists inside Gaza toward Israel and approximately 500 of those rockets have landed inside Gaza. After last night’s strike, the IDF now appears to have struck more than 800 targets inside Gaza.
There was a temporary break in the fighting that last several hours, although no explanation has been given on the matter.
“Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson Hidai Zilberman said the military did not know the reason behind the temporary halt in rocket fire, but was continuing with its campaign against Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror groups,” The Times of Israel reported. “Palestinian sources reported that the IDF carried out several waves of strikes against targets across the Strip, including one that hit dozens of targets. Video and pictures showed a series of massive explosions and fireballs lighting up the night sky.”
WATCH:
It’s 4:00 AM in #Gaza after a short calm during Monday night, warplanes launch over 30 air strikes in western part of #Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip, targeting #Hamas security sites, infrastructure and main roads, credit Masdr news agency pic.twitter.com/jJxvENRPPT
— Rushdi Abualouf (@Rushdibbc) May 18, 2021
Several airstrikes tonight in #Gaza. #Israel pic.twitter.com/jOn8aA8bIM
— Joe Truzman (@Jtruzmah) May 17, 2021
IDF airstrikes in #Gaza City tonight. #Israel pic.twitter.com/mtGnfkWM2u
— Joe Truzman (@Jtruzmah) May 17, 2021
An IDF airstrike targets a structure in Khan Yunis completely destroying it. #Gaza #Israel pic.twitter.com/lEdpEn78Pi
— Joe Truzman (@Jtruzmah) May 18, 2021
#IDF have release footage of the targeting of a rocket launcher in the last wave of airstrikes.
The have also announced the targeting of a #Hamas ATGM squad in Khan Younis. pic.twitter.com/kKicEz3LoS
— Aurora Intel (@AuroraIntel) May 18, 2021
IDF says it struck the homes of 5 senior Hamas commanders in Gaza pic.twitter.com/IfNJbUQyXu
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) May 17, 2021
IDF releases footage of airstrikes against the Rimal neighborhood in #Gaza City. #Israel pic.twitter.com/I2lv8ifZBv
— Joe Truzman (@Jtruzmah) May 18, 2021
IDF releases footage of airstrikes against the homes of senior Hamas members in the #Gaza Strip. #Israel pic.twitter.com/fYxhsxfncb
— Joe Truzman (@Jtruzmah) May 18, 2021
In addition to killing scores of Palestinian terrorists with Hamas or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Israel also highlighted the following recent military operations:
The following are a few of the recent developments highlighted by the IDF:
- Over the last days, Israeli naval troops spotted suspicious activity in the Northern Gaza Strip, nearby assets of the Hamas’ naval forces, and tracked the movements of a number of suspect enemy combatants. Today, using IAF aircraft surveillance and naval capabilities, several of the suspects were spotted with a vessel, suspected of being a Hamas submergible naval weapon. The vessel was being taken to the shore and appeared to be on its way to carry out a terror attack in Israeli waters. A short while ago, an IDF naval vessel and an aircraft targeted the operators and the weapon in order to remove the threat.
- A short while ago, IDF fighter jets struck the main operations center of the Hamas internal security forces in the Rimal neighborhood, in the northern Gaza Strip. The operations center was a central part of Hamas terror infrastructure. It served as a base for military intelligence operatives.Prior to the strike, the IDF provided advance warning to the occupants of the building and allowed sufficient time for them to evacuate the site.
The Daily Mail described the attack on the naval vessel as a strike on a “Hamas ‘suicide submarine’ after militants were spotted launching the autonomous submersible in northern Gaza.”
סיכול כלי צולל בלתי מאויש בצפון הרצועה מוקדם יותר היום: pic.twitter.com/eltPJRgprP
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) May 17, 2021