FILE PHOTO An Israeli F-16 fighter jet © Amir Cohen / Reuters
Early on September 12, Israeli fighter jets and combat drones carried out a series of airstrikes on the Palestinian Gaza Strip.
According to Palestinian sources, the Israeli airstrikes targeted 13th Division base in central Gaza, Ain Jalut base to the west of Khan Younis, al-Bahriyah base in southern Gaza and a chicken farm located on the border with Egypt’s Sinai. All of these positions, except for the chicken farm, belong to the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas Movement.
Video reportedly of the IAF airstrikes toward a Hamas site in central Gaza tonight. pic.twitter.com/xdhf7vqBb6
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) September 11, 2021
Footage of one of the IAF airstrikes near Rafah pic.twitter.com/H6kZimKPdb
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) September 12, 2021
IDF publishes footage of the overnight airstrikes toward a number of Hamas sites in Gaza pic.twitter.com/B6IsGERfkI
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) September 12, 2021
#صور| جانب من الأضرار الناجمة عن استهداف طائرات الاحتلال الحربية لمزرعة دواجن بمدينة رفح جنوب قطاع غزة، فجر اليوم. pic.twitter.com/oTpHFoQitf
— وكالة شهاب للأنباء (@ShehabAgency) September 12, 2021
The Israeli airstrikes on Gaza resulted in heavy material losses. Nevertheless, Palestinian sources didn’t report any casualties.
The Israeli Defense Froces said that the airstrikes were a response to a rocket that was launched from Gaza late on September 11. The rocket was successfully intercepted by the Iron Dome system.
“Terrorist organizations in Gaza continue to terrorize Israelis with:
- rockets
- violent riots
- arson balloons
In response to tonight’s rocket fire, we struck a Hamas underground rocket production workshop, weapons storage site, training facility and terrorist tunnel,” the IDF wrote on Twitter.
The rocket was fired by Palestinian gunmen as a symbol of support for the six Palestinian prisoners who escaped from Gilboa Prison on September 6.
Israeli authorities have apprehended four of the escapees, so far. Mahmoud Ardah and Yaqoub Mahmoud Qadri were captured on the night of September 10, while Zakaria Zubeidi and Mohammed Qassem Ardah were captured early on September 11.
The remaining two Palestinian escapees, Ayham Nayef Kamamji and Monadel Yacoub Nafe’at, are still at large. The two may have crossed into the Western Bank.
The issue of the escapes could lead to a new escalation in the Gaza Strip. Many Palestinian are calling on the Hamas Movement and other Palestinian factions to take action to help secure the last two escapees and free the others from Israeli prisons.