Israel ground forces push into Gaza to raid Hamas sites
What's the story
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted an overnight ground raid in northern Gaza on Thursday, marking Israel's most significant ground offensive since the war broke out on October 7.
The mission, led by the Givati infantry brigade and the 162nd Armored Division, aimed to set the stage for a full-scale ground invasion against Hamas.
During the incursion, IDF forces targeted anti-tank-guided missile launch sites. No soldiers were injured, and all forces returned to Israeli territory once the operation ended.
Details
Operation lasted several hours: IDF spokesperson
IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari revealed that the operation lasted several hours.
This incursion went beyond the routine localized raids conducted by soldiers near the border to search for missing Israelis and clear explosives left by Hamas.
The IDF has been encouraging Palestinians to evacuate from northern Gaza southward as its strikes on Gaza have killed over 6,500 Palestinians.
Palestinian authorities said Israel has also killed 103 others in the West Bank and detained over 1,200 people.
What Next?
Israeli jets strike over 250 Hamas sites in 24 hours
In the last 24 hours, Israeli jets have targeted over 250 Hamas sites, including infrastructure, command centers, tunnels, and rocket launchers, The Times of Israel reported.
It conducted another overnight military raid in Gaza on Monday to understand where the Hamas fighters were assembling and getting organized.
Meanwhile, Hamas claimed to have warded off the raid by destroying some of their equipment and forcing Israeli troops to withdraw.
Insights
Israel says ready to invade Gaza
Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the offensive was imminent but did not provide specifics on its timing or execution.
The New York Times reported that Israel agreed to a US request to temporarily delay the ground incursion, giving Washington more time to deploy additional air defense systems to protect its troops in the region.
On Tuesday, Israel said it was ready to invade Gaza and had rejected the United Nations (UN) calls for a ceasefire.