Explosions swept through Gaza early Tuesday morning as Israeli forces targeted the terrorist group Islamic Jihad, days after a short-lived but fiery flare-up in violence in the troubled region.
The leader of Islamic Jihad’s military wing was killed in the attacks, Qatari news agency Al Jazeera reported, citing a senior member of the group. There was no confirmation of the claim, but other reports also suggested that senior leadership of the Iran-backed group had been attacked and a number of senior figures killed.
Israeli residents in areas within 40 kilometers (25 miles) of Gaza were ordered to enter air raid shelters for fear of retaliatory attacks. Previous attacks on Islamic Jihad leaders have sparked rocket fire at Israeli civilians and fierce fighting with Israeli troops, some lasting for days.
The Israel Defense Forces, in a brief statement on their English Twitter account after 2am, said they were “attacking Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza”.
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Dozens of strikes were reported across the strip, after what appeared to be coordinated initial strikes in Rafah and Gaza City in homes where senior leaders of the group met or slept.
Witnesses said an explosion hit the top floor of an apartment building in Gaza City and a house in the southern city of Rafah. According to Palestinian media, several people were injured. There was no immediate confirmation from the health authorities.
Several casualties were reported in the strikes, including at least one person killed in the strike in Rafah.
The IDF Home Front Command issued instructions to residents of areas near Gaza to remain in or near bomb shelters. She instructed local authorities to open public shelters.
It also ordered school to be canceled in areas ranging from Gaza to Lachish and Beersheba. Outdoor gatherings were also banned, putting a damper on the small Jewish holiday of Lag Ba’omer, which falls on Tuesdays and often features outdoor activities for children.
The authorities also closed the crossings between Israel and Gaza.
The bombings came days after Gaza terrorists led by Islamic Jihad fired nearly three dozen rockets at Israel in response to the death of a suspected senior member of the group, who had been on a hunger strike in Israeli prison. During the May 2 clash, several rockets hit Sderot, injuring three workers and damaging homes and cars.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pressured by hardliners in his cabinet to respond more harshly to Gaza and take offensive action in response to missiles, rather than just responding to attacks.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir hailed the attack and tweeted: “About time!”
The airstrikes are similar to one in August 2022, when Israel bombed locations housing Islamic Jihad commanders, sparking a three-day blitz of rocket volleys and retaliatory attacks. Israel said at the time the initial attack was spurred on by specific threats of an imminent attack.
This is an evolving story.