TEL AVIV—The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted a series of overnight strikes across the Gaza Strip, targeting Hamas terror infrastructure and eliminating multiple militants, according to official military reports. The coordinated operations, led by the IDF Southern Command, Military Intelligence, and the Shin Bet domestic security service, form part of a broader strategic effort to counter the persistent threat posed by Iran-backed terror networks operating from Gaza.
Military spokespersons said air and ground forces were deployed to strike approximately 60 terror sites throughout southern and northern Gaza. Targets included weapons depots, military compounds, and tunnel entrances, many embedded amid civilian areas, reflecting Hamas’s repeated use of human shields. Detailed intelligence allowed precision targeting and coordination with ground and aerial units to minimize risk to noncombatants.
During the operations, IDF troops detected and eliminated a Hamas terrorist who emerged from a tunnel shaft adjacent to Israeli positions. Elsewhere, Israeli aircraft struck a building from which anti-tank fire targeted IDF soldiers, neutralizing an immediate threat to advancing forces. The IDF said no casualties were reported among Israeli soldiers during these active engagements.
BACKGROUND: ESCALATION IN THE WAR AGAINST IRANIAN-BACKED TERROR GROUPS
The current campaign is situated within the broader Iron Swords War, launched in response to the October 7, 2023 massacre, in which Hamas terrorists killed approximately 1,200 Israelis and abducted hundreds in the largest antisemitic atrocity since the Holocaust. Israel, under directives from Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Defense Minister Israel Katz, has vowed to dismantle the terror infrastructure in Gaza and restore security to Israeli communities.
Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, and others, and receives direct material and ideological support from Iran and its network of regional proxies. In recent months, Israel has faced military provocations not only from Gaza but from the north (Hezbollah in Lebanon), south (the Houthis in Yemen), and affiliated groups in Syria and Iraq, all components of Iran’s so-called “axis of resistance.”
STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL DETAILS
The 36th Division played a central role in the southern sector, executing joint air and ground activities against identified Hamas targets. Simultaneously, the 143rd Gaza Division and the 252nd Division conducted strikes in both southern and northern areas, focusing on tunnel networks, weapons storage facilities, and command posts. The IDF emphasized that these efforts are designed to degrade Hamas’s command-and-control structure and disrupt its capacity to influence civilian populations through intimidation and terror.
The IDF released surveillance footage of precision strikes and the elimination of militants attempting to engage Israeli forces from close range. These operations reportedly relied on actionable intelligence, frequently gathered in real-time by forces operating on the ground and relayed to aerial units for immediate response. Legal advisors monitored all strikes for compliance with international humanitarian law, and the IDF maintains that every practical measure was taken to confer warnings to civilians and prevent collateral damage.
The Israeli military’s continued focus on tunnel shafts and launch sites underlines both the tactical complexity of urban warfare in Gaza and the challenge of operating in densely built areas where Hamas embeds its assets among civilians. Forensic evidence from previous operations has repeatedly highlighted Hamas’s systematic exploitation of protected civilian sites for military use, a practice that stands in violation of international conventions.
HUMANITARIAN AND LEGAL DIMENSIONS
Israeli officials stressed that, alongside military actions, extensive measures are in place to reduce civilian risk, including the advance distribution of evacuation warnings and coordination of humanitarian corridors for Gaza residents. Despite these measures, the presence of hostilities complicates aid delivery and evacuation efforts, aggravated by Hamas’s documented attempts to prevent civilian movement to safety.
The IDF maintains that ultimate responsibility for harm to Gaza residents lies with Hamas, which initiated the conflict, perpetrates continued acts of terror, and systematically positions its fighters and assets within civilian infrastructure. Israel continues to facilitate the flow of humanitarian supplies, medical aid, and relief convoys through monitored checkpoints in coordination with Egypt and international agencies.
GEOPOLITICAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT
The United States, under President Donald Trump, remains publicly committed to Israel’s defensive operations and right to self-defense, while European and regional partners urge restraint but recognize the legitimacy of Israel’s security concerns. At the United Nations, debates continue over civilian risk and proportionality, with Israeli representatives presenting evidence of Hamas’s violations of international law and restating Israel’s legal and moral obligations to protect its citizens.
Israel’s military and political leadership have reaffirmed objectives: neutralize Hamas’s terror capabilities, secure the release of all hostages still held in Gaza, and prevent the resurgence of Iranian-backed attacks on Israeli territory. Senior defense officials insist that, while the campaign carries significant risks and challenges, sustained operations remain necessary to deliver lasting security for Israeli society and regional stability.
CONCLUSION
The latest series of IDF strikes across Gaza mark a continuing phase in Israel’s war for survival against Iranian-backed terror organizations. Israeli military operations remain focused on eliminating immediate and long-term threats, protecting civilians through intelligence-driven precision, and adhering to the highest legal and ethical standards of conduct amid the realities of urban conflict. The outcome of these ongoing operations will likely define Israel’s security landscape and set the terms for the region’s future stability.
