Israeli Forces Confirm Retaliatory Strikes Across Gaza After Rocket Barrage
21:27 GMT 06.04.2023 (Updated: 11:18 GMT 24.06.2024)
© AP Photo / Fatima ShbairFire and smoke rise following an Israeli airstrike in central Gaza Strip, Friday, April 7, 2023. The Israeli military has struck targets in the Gaza Strip, pushing the region toward a wider conflagration after a day of rocket fire along the country's northern and southern borders. The fighting follows two days of unrest at Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site. As Israeli aircraft began striking Gaza, Palestinian militants quickly fired off a new barrage of rockets, setting off air raid sirens across southern Israel.
© AP Photo / Fatima Shbair
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Israeli forces earlier confirmed on Thursday that 34 rockets had been launched from Lebanon by Palestinian forces, with 25 projectiles having been intercepted. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati has rejected any escalation from Lebanon into Israel following the strikes.
The Israel Defense Forces has confirmed the military body is conducting retaliatory strikes against Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip following earlier rocket attacks.
A statement issued by the IDF states that targets included a "terrorist" tunnels in the Beit Hanun and Khan Younis areas, both of which "did not cross into Israeli territory and did not pose a threat to the residents of Israel."
"Two sites for the production of weapons used by the terrorist organization Hamas in the north and center of the Gaza Strip were attacked. The attack was carried out in response to Hamas' security violations in recent days," a translated statement issued by the IDF reads.
"The terrorist organization Hamas bears responsibility for what happened and is the one who will pay the price for the security violations against the State of Israel."
Preliminary details suggested missiles were fired in the vicinity of Hamas' Saladin camp, among other targets.
Footage of the strikes have since surfaced online.
Reported video from North Gaza this evening of the on going airstrikes. pic.twitter.com/ylq7gqr14u
— Aurora Intel (@AuroraIntel) April 6, 2023
Rocket sirens have since sounded off in border towns along the Gaza Strip, specifically in Karmia, Nativ Hathara and Sderot areas, according to Israeli military.
The Hama military wing - Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades - has since stated in a Telegram post that its air defense systems were repelling Israeli strikes.
Bibi Issues Dire Warning Against Israel's 'Enemies'
Moments before the IDF announced its retaliatory strikes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued remarks to the public underscoring that enemies of Israel would pay the price for every act of aggression against the Jewish state.
"Our enemies should not be under the delusion that the internal debate in Israel will not prevent us from acting against them at any place and at any time when it is required," Netanyahu said before a high-level security cabinet session. "We are all, without exception, united in this."
"We will beat our enemies and they will pay the price for any act of aggression," the Israeli official underscored.
The prime minister added that Israel is not interested in changing the status quo on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, where violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police have taken place over the past few nights.
"We call for calm and will act decisively against extremists who resort to violence," Netanyahu added.
The latest spate in regional tensions comes after Israeli forces stormed the Al-Aqsa mosque and attacked Palestinian worshippers, with Palestinian media reporting that stun grenades and rubber bullets had been used during the incident.