Sunday, May 26, 2024, 3:20 p.m.
The military wing of Hamas has claimed the launch of a “major missile attack” against Tel Aviv in response to the “Zionist massacres against civilians” in Gaza. The army has confirmed this offensive against the second largest city in Israel and other enclaves in the center of the country, with which the Al-Qassam Brigades would try to demonstrate their firepower after seven months of fighting in the Strip.
This is the first attack against Tel Aviv in the last four months. The anti-aircraft alarms began to sound after noon. At least eight rockets have been fired from Rafah, where the Defense Forces are carrying out their latest occupation operation in the Strip. The anti-aircraft defense has intercepted “several of them”, according to military sources, although different witnesses claim that they have heard ” explosions” in Tel Aviv.
At least one person is injured, a woman whose home was reportedly hit by shrapnel. Damage has also been reported in the city of Kfar Saba, including a large crater opened supposedly by a missile, while in the north of Israel and in several communities near the border with Gaza, panic has gripped hundreds of civilians upon seeing flying over its skies what could be attack drones or planes piloted by extremist militias. Many citizens have run to seek protection in air raid shelters.
rocket platforms
The offensive could be a demonstration by Hamas that it still has enough bases intact to harm the population of Israel after the army announced these days the destruction of dozens of Hamas missile launching platforms scattered in Rafah. Hours before the offensive, the Defense Forces and Hamas exchanged messages after the militants claimed that they had captured several soldiers in northern Gaza, in Jabaliya, an area denied by the army. According to Hamas’ version, its militants had surprised a group of soldiers inside a tunnel; Several would have died in the exchange of gunfire and at least one would be captive.
The rocket shots would have been fired from Rafah, a sector bordering Egypt at a time when there is special attention on it and the operations carried out by the army to occupy it. Last Friday, the International Criminal Court ordered the Government of Benjamin Netanyahu to cease any intervention that could lead to acts of genocide against the civilian population. It so happens that the military commanders had decided this Sunday to slow down the interventions in Rafah so as not to mediate the negotiations to free the hostages that must begin on Tuesday.
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