Israel launched a restricted armored raid into the northern Gaza Strip in a single day forward of what’s anticipated to be a full-scale invasion of the Hamas-controlled enclave, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed Thursday.
The IDF mentioned tanks and infantry struck “numerous” terror cells, anti-tank missile launching positions and different Hamas infrastructure in preparation for what it known as the “next stages of combat.”
“The soldiers have since exited the area and returned to Israeli territory,” the IDF mentioned in a press release.
A video launched by the IDF confirmed a bulldozer pushing by an impediment on the border whereas Israeli tanks and different armored automobiles fired at targets inside Gaza.
Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, an IDF spokesman, mentioned troops on the raid additionally cleared land mines and destroyed spots that Hamas fighters may use to launch anti-tank missiles. He advised CNN that the IDF carried out related operations the previous week however on a smaller scale.
“It was a clear-and-sweep operation intended to create better terms for ground operations,” Col. Lerner mentioned. “We engaged the enemy, killing terrorists planning to conduct attacks against us.”
He mentioned there have been no reviews of injured IDF troops from the in a single day mission.
