Israel Air Force bombs Hamas' underground tunnels and naval weaponry as conflict rages

Israel Air Force (IAF) on Sunday bombarded Iranian-backed militant group Hamas’ suspected autonomous underwater vehicle in northern Gaza, and a range of underground tunnels used by the terror operatives to target Israel. As warning signs resonated in several of Israel’s southern regions, which includes the city of Ofakim, and Kiryat Malachi, Israeli fighter jets flew over the Gaza strip and conducted airstrikes across what the military forces described 15 km (nine miles) Islamist Hamas-run enclave to sabotage its ground offensive. Hamas operatives and equipment were targeted and bombed by Israeli Navy ships and fighter jets. 

Israel Defense Forces issued statement, saying: “A number of operatives from the Gaza-ruling terror group were spotted today in the north of the Strip with suspected ‘naval diving weaponry.’ The vessel was brought down to the beach and was apparently on its way to carry out a hostile sabotage operation toward the State of Israel’s maritime space.”

Israel Air Force destroyed Hamas’ naval diving weaponry in series of bombings after Gaza militants fired a barrage of about 60 rockets towards Israeli cities overnight that landed in Israel’s populous cities of  Beersheba and Ashkelon. In retaliation, Israel’s troops struck residences of high-ranking Hamas commanders with prior warnings to civilians at Eshkol Regional Council bordering Gaza to immediately enter bomb shelters until further instructions, according to the on-ground Hebrew press reports. 

"Fire will be met with fire," the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a LIVE broadcast as fire rockets launched by Hamas came down on the civilian population in the South and Center of the country with many running for cover.

"You cannot hide. Not above ground and not below ground. No one is immune. This [military] operation will continue as long as it takes until we achieve our goals and bring peace and security to all Israeli citizens," Israeli PM said in a broadcast message.

While the Israeli border police made rampant detentions in Lod, alleging that the pro-Arab assaulters and radical extremists instigated riots armed with rifles, The Israel Defense Forces thwarted Hamas’ underground water attack to harm the Israeli troops. As many as 160 fighter aircrafts from Israel’s Air Force launched an offensive, bombarding and destroying network of tunnels dug by the Hamas terror group abound with servers, weaponry and military equipment. The tunnel shaft, according to the Hebrew newspaper Hamodia, was positioned next to a mosque in the densely populated civilian area. Israeli soldiers were reported firing artillery from ground positions near the Gaza border to tackle armed terror faction. 

[Credit: Twitter/@SaithAbdullah99]

In the 40 minutes of air combat operation, Israeli fighter jets dropped approximately 450 missiles, which caused massive blasts on150 Hamas targets in northern Gaza, around the city of Beit Lahiya. The IDF Spokesperson Hidai Zilberman told press reporters that the underground tunnel was a “strategic asset” to Hamas, and the airstrikes neutralized a number of terrorist operatives, including the Islamic Jihad commander Hussam Abu Harbeed. Harbeed was the commandeering leader to the terror group’s northern Gaza division for over 15 years, the Israel defense Forces said. The state TV broadcast aired the apartment buildings level as one rocket hit the city of Ashdod, injuring several civilians, the official count, although, is yet to be determined.

US Deputy lands in Israel

Israel’s dozens of air raids and aerial bombings on Hamas strategic targets on the Gaza Strip comes in midst of the growing international calls for brokering the ceasefire in the conflict-ridden Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Yesterday, US President Joe Biden called both his Israeli counterpart Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss prospects of negotiating peace. His envoy, US Deputy Assistant Secretary for Israel and Palestinian Affairs Hady Amr, also arrived in Israel last week to hold emergency talks to put violence in the tension-ridden region to rest.