Israel has carried out additional airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning. 19 people belonging to the Islamic Jihad group, which is the target of the Israeli attack, should also have been arrested, the Israeli military said.
In response to the attacks, the rockets rain down on southern Israel. The fighting is described as the worst escalation of violence since a war last year.
Israel is justifying the attack as a “preemptive” operation against Islamic Jihad, insisting the group planned an imminent attack after days of tensions along the Gaza Strip border.
Death
At least ten people, including a child, have been killed in the Israeli airstrikes, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The Israeli military estimates that around 15 “enemy combatants” were killed in the attacks in the Gaza Strip. The attacks were described as a “preemptive strike” against high-ranking members of the Islamic Jihad militant group. According to Islamic Jihad, one of those killed is a senior commander within the group.
In Israel, the bombardment has set off sirens, but there are no reports of major damage.
Don’t shy away
“The Israeli government will not allow terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip to set the agenda in the area and threaten the citizens of the State of Israel,” Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said in a statement.
He also says that Israel is not interested in a wider conflict in Gaza, but will not shy away from one either.
Around 80 people have been injured in the attacks, which according to security sources in the Palestinian enclave are taking place in several parts of the territory.
Border crossings closed
The airstrikes come days after Israel closed its two border crossings with Gaza and restricted the movement of Israeli civilians living near the border, citing security concerns.
The measures were taken after two high-ranking members of Islamic Jihad were arrested in the occupied West Bank on Monday. The group has a strong presence in Gaza.
The Gaza Strip is controlled by the political wing of the Palestinian terrorist movement Hamas. Around two million people live in the area.