The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that Israeli tanks were involved in a “targeted raid” in northern Gaza overnight on Thursday as part of their preparations for a potential ground invasion.
The IDF issued a statement, saying, “Overnight, the IDF conducted a targeted raid using tanks in the northern Gaza Strip, as part of preparations for the next stages of combat. The soldiers exited the area at the end of the activity.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on Wednesday, announced that they were gearing up for a ground offensive in addition to the ongoing heavy bombing campaign against Hamas-controlled Gaza.
It’s worth noting that on October 7, a significant incursion by Hamas gunmen from Gaza into Israel resulted in casualties on both sides, with 1,400 people killed, mainly civilians, and 222 individuals kidnapped, according to Israeli officials. Moreover, the aerial assault by Israel has reportedly claimed the lives of more than 6,500 Gazans, as per figures released by the Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza.
The Israeli military clarified that during the overnight raid, their soldiers targeted and struck numerous terrorists, terror infrastructure, and anti-tank missile launch posts while making preparations for the battlefield.
An IDF spokesman also confirmed to AFP that this was not the first time Israeli soldiers and tanks had entered Gaza for limited incursions since October 7.
