Israeli ground forces backed by fighter jets and drones carried out a night-time targeted raid in the central Gaza Strip, the army said Friday, as it prepares for a land invasion.
“During the last day, IDF (Israel Defense Forces) ground forces, accompanied by IDF fighter jets and UAVs, conducted an additional targeted raid in the central Gaza Strip,” the army said in a statement.
“As part of the activity, IDF aircraft and artillery struck terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organisation in the Shujaiya area and throughout the Gaza Strip.”
According to Israeli officials, the latest escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict started when the Hamas militants crossed into Israel from its southern border on October 7, killing more than 1,400 people.
Israel has responded with relentless air and artillery strikes on Gaza that have killed more than 6,000 people, according to health authorities in Gaza.
Tehran, an essential source of financial and military backing for Hamas, praised the October 7 Hamas attack while rejecting any involvement in its planning or execution.
