Rocket fired from Rafah amid IDF operation in Gaza City

Israeli forces are also active in Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood, having launched a counterterror operation there nearly two weeks ago.

By JNS

Israel’s Iron Dome aerial defense system on Tuesday intercepted a rocket fired from Rafah at Israeli communities close to the Gaza border, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

The launch triggered sirens in the communities of Yevul, Avshalom, and Yated. No injuries were reported.

Meanwhile, the IDF continued to press its offensive against Hamas in Gaza City and across the coastal enclave.

During a counterterror operation in Gaza City’s Tel al-Hawa neighborhood, which began overnight Sunday based on intelligence indicating that Hamas and Islamic Jihad are attempting to regroup there, Israeli forces killed dozens of terrorists and found many weapons.

The IDF said on Monday that the terrorist groups had established interrogation and detention rooms in the area, including at the UNRWA headquarters.

Terrorist infrastructure and weapons were also found to be in the area, according to the Military Intelligence Directorate.

Israeli forces are also active in Gaza City’s Shejaiya neighborhood, having launched a counterterror operation there nearly two weeks ago.

Israeli forces have killed around 150 terrorists and destroyed six terror tunnels since the start of the Shejaiya operation, the second conducted in the neighborhood since the start of the war.

The IDF said on Tuesday that troops were operating there both above and below ground, and had killed many terrorists and located weapons, including sniper equipment, RPGs, grenades and AK-47 rifles.

In addition, terrorist infrastructure and an underground route were destroyed.

The Shejaiya tunnels were described as “significant,” at a length of some 3.7 miles.

“During the examination of the tunnels, the soldiers of the Yahalom Unit located underground tunnels consisting of a branched tunnel system. In some of the branches … hideouts and control and command centers were located. In one of the tunnels, weapons and intelligence documents were located,” the IDF said.

Israeli forces also continue to clear the Rafah area of Hamas fighters, over the past day killing dozens of terrorists in close-quarters combat and aerial strikes.

Since the start of the operation in Rafah in early May, Israeli forces have killed more than 1,000 terrorists during battles in the last Hamas stronghold, according to data compiled by the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University.

Also over the past day, the IAF struck additional terror targets across the Gaza Strip, including military structures, underground shafts and terrorist infrastructure.

Furthermore, in Nuseirat in central Gaza overnight Monday, the IAF struck several terrorists who were conducting terrorist activities using school structures as a cover.