At least four soldiers suffer serious injurie; Areial defenses intercept threat over the Red Sea, military says no threat to Eilat residents; Blinken discusses aid to Gaza with Jordanian king
The IDF said on Wednesday that nine soldiers were killed in the fighting in the northern Gaza Strip and that four others suffered serious injury.
Seven of the soldiers were killed when an anti-tank missile was fired at them from a terrorist who emerged from an underground tunnel. Two others died from an IUD that exploded under their tank.
On Wednesday, the military spokesperson said that its forces struck a Hamas stronghold in the Jabalia refugee camp, which was in a building surrounded by a school, a medical facility and the Hamas government institutions. The forces on the ground identified the target and an air strike was carried out. Forces also guided striking aircraft at a terror squad launching anti-tank missiles at troops. According to the military, more than 11,000 Hamas targets in Gaza since the war began.
After midnight on Tuesday night, the IDF Aerial Defense Array intercepted an aerial threat that was identified in the area of the Red Sea, south of the city of Eilat, according to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, which added that no threat was posed to civilians and no infiltration into Israeli territory was identified. It is believed to be another attack by the Houthis from Yemen, who are supported by Iran.
Also very late on Tuesday night, the IDF intercepted a surface-to-air missile that was launched from Lebanese territory toward an IDF UAV, according to the IDF Spokesperson’s unit. In response, IAF aircraft struck the origin of the missile launch, as well as the terrorists who carried out the launch.
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will visit Israel on Friday, against the backdrop of the pressure the U.S. is exerting on Jerusalem to increase humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, including fuel. This will be Blinken’s third visit since the outbreak of the war. Blinken discussed the need to bring humanitarian aid into Gaza with Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
On Tuesday, the Senate approved the appointment of Jack Lew to the post of US ambassador to Israel on Tuesday. The appointment, whose confirmation process was accelerated following the start of the Gaza war, met with opposition from Republicans mainly due to Lew’s part in the signing of former President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran in 2015. Lew, who is Jewish, previously served as US Treasury Secretary and as Obama’s White House Chief of Staff. He replaces Tom Nides who left the position after two years due to “personal reasons.”
Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf, arrived in the country to start talking to senior officials in Israel.
At least three Palestinians were killed in the Jenin refugee camp overnight, found while destroying terror infrastructure. they were identified hiding in an underground tunnel, when troops entered the camp and arrested a senior member of the Fatah group who directed terror attacks.
As reported by Ynetnews