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An armoured vehicle drives as damaged buildings are seen in the background, amid the ongoing ground operation of the Israeli army against Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in the Gaza Strip, September 13. (Reuters)
IDF’s 162nd Division launches a new ground operation in Jabaliya, targeting Hamas infrastructure and operatives
The Israeli military said Sunday its forces surrounded the Jabaliya area of northern Gaza in response to indications Hamas was rebuilding despite nearly a year of strikes and fighting.
“The troops of the 401st Brigade and the 460th Brigade have successfully encircled the area and are currently continuing to operate in the area,” the military said in a statement.
The military said it had intelligence indicating the “presence of terrorists and terror infrastructure in the area of Jabaliya… as well as efforts by Hamas to rebuild its operational capabilities in the area”.
“Prior to and during the operation, the IAF (air force) struck dozens of military targets in the area to assist IDF (army) ground troops,” the military said, adding targets hit were weapons storage facilities, underground infrastructure sites and other militant infrastructure sites.
Gaza civil defence agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that multiple strikes rocked Jabaliya through the night and there were many casualties. Israeli forces have bombarded Jabaliya regularly since the war in Gaza started, displacing almost all of its residents. The war was sparked by Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)