Operation Black Belt continues, as the IDF attacked targets of the Islamic Jihad terror organization in the Gaza Strip overnight Friday. The attacks took place about three hours after the last barrage of Islamic Jihad rockets that were fired at and around Sderot (See: Iron Dome Shoots Down 2 Rockets Over Sderot as ‘Ceasefire’ Continues).
The IDF reported that fighter jets and other aircraft attacked a military compound that was used, among other things, as a site for manufacturing rocket components, as well as the headquarters of the Khan Yunis Brigade of the Islamic Jihad, which houses several commanders’ offices.
Arab media outlets reported that three posts in the southern Gaza Strip were attacked from around 1:00 to 1:30 AM: two posts of Islamic Jihad in Khan Yunis and Rafah, and a post of the Resistance Committees group in the Rafah area. The posts were attacked several times by several missiles.
It was also reported that two Arabs were injured in one of the attacks in Rafah.
The IDF spokesperson announced that “the IDF considers the ceasefire breach and rocket launches to Israel very severely, and is in high readiness and will continue to operate, as necessary, against attempts to harm Israeli citizens.”
Following the start of the ceasefire between Israel and Islamic Jihad at 5:30 AM Thursday, volleys of Jihad rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip toward southern Israel at 7:00 AM, then around 11:00 AM, close to 5:00 PM, and once more at 10:00 PM.
According to the IDF spokesperson, two rockets were launched in the last wave and both were intercepted by the iron dome system.
It is estimated that the post-ceasefire launches were carried out by rogue Jihad terrorists who are unhappy with the ceasefire. At the same time, demonstrations against the ceasefire were held at several locations in the Gaza Strip Thursday night. Those were likely arranged by the Hamas, which seeks to belittle the Jihad’s efforts against Israel after the terror group’s leader Ziad al-Nahla, comfortably situated in Lebanon, on Wednesday ribbed Hamas for its neglect of the holy mission against Israel.
Hamas is hoping that after the elimination of Baha Abu al-Atta, Jihad will become more tentative and obedient, as befits its inferior size and technological capabilities.
Israel is pleased that Hamas did not join in fighting this round, which helped keep the Jihad from inflicting lethal casualties on Israel. It also allowed the IDF to hit ten Jihad rocket launching squads during the commission of their crimes.
According to Arab sources, there will not be a march on the Gaza border fence this Friday, for the first time since April 2018. The Islamic Jihad announced earlier that Israel committed to not shooting at marchers – which Israel denied.
