The Israeli military has intensified its campaign against Hamas militants in the southern Gaza Strip, focusing on the key city of Khan Younis. The operations, which include clearing operations in both western and eastern Khan Younis, are part of a broader effort to seize weapons and uncover hidden infrastructure. This escalation comes amid ongoing fighting that has escalated in the region over the past week.
During these operations, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) targeted a "terrorist compound" in Khan Younis, resulting in secondary explosions that indicated the presence of numerous weapons. IDF troops also discovered weapon parts, grenades, ammunition, and additional military equipment, suggesting a significant Hamas presence in the area.
According to reports from Israeli media, IDF soldiers encountered heavy armed resistance from Hamas gunmen in Khan Younis. The 7th Brigade reported killing seven militants while attacking a building that was found to house a substantial cache of military hardware, including explosive devices, grenades, sniper rifles, and assault rifles.
In a separate operation, the Israeli military raided the house of a senior Hamas military intelligence officer in Khan Younis, where they discovered a tunnel and a cache of weapons, which were subsequently destroyed. The IDF's Givati Brigade infantry is also continuing to operate in Khan Younis as part of the broader military campaign in the region.
The intense fighting in and around Khan Younis over the last five weeks has taken a toll on civilian life and infrastructure, according to U.N. health officials. The destruction of the largest refugee shelter in the southern Gaza Strip has forced thousands of Palestinians to flee further south towards Rafah, which is severely overcrowded. Despite the ongoing fighting and airstrikes in other areas, population movements out of Rafah towards Deir Al Balah and Nuseirat refugee camps in central Gaza have also been reported.
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