Tel Aviv, Israel – The Israeli Air Force launched airstrikes early Sunday morning targeting Hamas sites in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. This came shortly after an anti-tank missile was fired at Israeli army engineering vehicles, according to local sources and media reports in the Strip.
Reports said the Israeli airstrikes came in direct response to what Israel described as a “ceasefire violation” by Hamas. The airstrikes targeted areas in the southern neighborhoods of the city. This occurred amid intense Israeli warplane overflights and explosions heard in several areas.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has yet to issue an official statement confirming the details of the operation or announcing its objectives and results. Meanwhile, Palestinian media outlets have reported material damage, but no confirmed information on casualties.
Following the developments, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a meeting to assess the security situation on Sunday morning. The meeting was attended by Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir. The purpose was to discuss the nature of Israel’s response to the incident.
For his part, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir escalated his rhetoric, calling on the government to “resuming the fighting in the Gaza Strip with full force.” He added that “the Nazi terrorist organization must be completely destroyed—preferably as soon as possible.”
Escalation Amid Fragile Ceasefire
This development comes amidst the fragile ceasefire arrangements that have prevailed in the Gaza Strip for months. The announced agreements between Palestinian factions and Israel have not resulted in a lasting calm, particularly amid ongoing tensions and limited clashes that erupt from time to time.
The situation in Rafah and the southern border area remains under close observation. There are fears that the situation could slide into a wider escalation if the exchange of strikes continues, or if Israel decides to adopt a broad military response.
ولم تعلن أي جهة فلسطينية مسؤوليتها رسميا عن إطلاق الصاروخ المضاد للدبابات حتى الآن. من جهة أخرى، تواصل إسرائيل تحميل حماس المسؤولية عن أي نشاط عسكري داخل القطاع. بوصفها السلطة الفعلية هناك.
