The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued to attack Hamas terrorists in Rafah and throughout Gaza on Monday, which was Israel’s independence day, despite continued international criticism and caution from the White House.
In a statement, the IDF said:
IDF troops continue their operations against terror targets in the area of eastern Rafah and on the Gazan side of the Rafah crossing. IDF troops eliminated several armed terrorist cells in close-quarters encounters on the Gazan side of the Rafah crossing.
In eastern Rafah, IDF troops eliminated a number of terrorists and located weapons. An IAF aircraft struck a terrorist cell that was exiting a launch site. In addition, the IDF struck a launch post from which additional terrorists operated and fired at IDF troops.
Overnight, IDF troops expanded their activity in the area of Jabalya and conducted targeted operations on additional terror targets in the area.
Over the past day, the troops engaged in a number of battles, eliminated by tank fire dozens of terrorists who shot at the troops and dismantled an explosives network that was planted in the area.
An IAF aircraft struck and eliminated a terrorist armed with an RPG who was identified near IDF troops and was on his way to fire toward them.
Furthermore, IDF troops have continued their operation on terror targets in the area of Zeitoun over the past day. During the activity, IDF troops located tunnel shafts and dismantled several launchers. In addition, IDF troops eliminated several terrorists and dismantled a weapons storage facility and additional terrorist infrastructure.
Yesterday (Monday), IAF fighter jets struck a war room of the terrorist organizations in the central Gaza Strip and eliminated five terrorists that were operating in it.
Moreover, IDF troops eliminated by tank fire several terrorists that were moving toward IDF troops operating in the area.
Additionally, over the past day, IAF fighter jets and additional aircraft struck over 100 terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip, including armed terrorists, booby-trapped structures, and additional terrorist infrastructure.
The IDF distributed photos of its soldiers in action across the Gaza Strip:
There were also unconfirmed reports on social media of IDF soldiers enjoying independence day fireworks in Rafah:
In addition, the IDF struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The airstrikes were rumored to have used bunker-busting bombs that can penetrate underground fortifications at depth, according to the Abu Ali Express Telegram account.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the recent e-book, “The Zionist Conspiracy (and how to join it),” now available on Audible. He is also the author of the e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.