(Communicated by the IDF Spokesman)
IDF engineering, armor, and infantry forces last night concluded Operation Final Grade in the city of Beit Hanun, in the northern Gaza Strip, as part of IDF's continuing efforts to quash the terror threat in Gaza.
During the operations, IDF conducted aerial and ground-based attacks, striking approximately 20 armed terrorists still trying to carry out terror attacks against IDF forces in the vicinity. Forces also carried out engineering work to harm terror organizations' infrastructure and hamper their activity, and arrested a number of wanted men who were taken for questioning by security forces. Searches revealed three Kalashnikov rifles, a carbine, a pistol, and ammunition.
For the duration of the operations IDF artillery and navy ships shelled areas in northern and southern Gaza used for terror activity. Over the past few days, in addition to the operations in Beit Hanun and as part of Operation Summer Rain, IDF aircraft struck the following targets in the Gaza Strip:
- A building of the Hamas government's Palestinian foreign ministry in northern Gaza whose head, Mahmud A-Zahar, is involved in planning terror activity.
- A building in Jabalya in northern Gaza used by Hamas and which served as a base for directing terror attacks against Israeli civilians.
IDF aims its operations only at terror organizations and infrastructure, and makes every effort to avoid harming uninvolved civilians.