|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Israel Defense Forces said on Monday that troops have spent the past week dismantling Hamas terrorist infrastructure along Gaza’s so-called Yellow Line in eastern Rafah, as part of ongoing security operations under the Southern Command.
According to the military, forces encountered and killed several armed operatives who posed an immediate threat, while also locating weapons, missiles, and surveillance equipment allegedly used by Hamas fighters against Israeli troops.
In a statement, the IDF said soldiers discovered AK-47 assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and cameras used for reconnaissance and operational filming in the contested area near the Gaza-Israel boundary.
“These findings indicate continued attempts by Hamas operatives to monitor and target IDF activity,” the military said, adding that the equipment was seized and destroyed during the operation.
The mission was led by the 143rd Gaza Division, with significant involvement from the Golani Brigade, one of the army’s elite infantry units, which has played a central role in ground operations throughout the conflict.
The IDF said troops also worked to dismantle underground tunnel infrastructure, which Hamas has long relied on for movement, weapons storage, and surprise attacks against Israeli forces.
Military officials stated that dozens of militants were killed during the week-long activity after being identified as posing direct threats to soldiers operating in the area.
Despite the existence of a ceasefire framework, the IDF emphasized that its forces remain deployed in accordance with the agreement, maintaining the authority to neutralize what it described as “any immediate threat” to Israeli troops.
“IDF troops under the Southern Command are deployed in the area in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat,” the military concluded in its statement.
The announcement came shortly after the IDF confirmed the killing of Ra’ad Sa’ad, a senior Hamas commander, in an airstrike carried out in Gaza City on Saturday.
Although the Israeli military initially withheld the identity of the target, it later said Sa’ad was among the most senior figures in Hamas’s Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades eliminated since the beginning of the ceasefire.
According to the IDF, Sa’ad had recently been involved in efforts to restore and manufacture weapons, signaling what Israel views as attempts by Hamas to rebuild its military capabilities during the lull in fighting.
Israeli defense officials described the strike as part of a broader effort to prevent Hamas from regrouping or rearming, particularly amid concerns that the ceasefire could be exploited to prepare for future attacks.
Hamas has not issued an official response to the claims regarding Sa’ad’s role, nor to the latest reports of infrastructure losses in eastern Rafah.
The developments underscore the fragile nature of the ceasefire, with Israel signaling it will continue targeted actions against perceived threats while keeping broader hostilities in check.
As diplomatic efforts continue to stabilize the situation, the military activity highlights the deep mistrust between the sides and the challenges of sustaining a long-term halt to the fighting in Gaza.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members