Despite “unusual” retaliation, IDF insists it does not intend to escalate violence further.
The Israeli military hit more than 50 terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, following Palestinian rocket fire at Israel’s south.
A senior military official confirmed Monday morning that “this was an unusual attack, but there is no intention to escalate further. We intend to deal with all types of [terrorist] infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.”
Other Israeli commanders said the retaliatory strikes marked the greatest blow suffered by Hamas since Operation Protective Edge in 2014.
The strikes followed an air raid siren that sounded across the southern city of Sderot and the Shaar Hanegev Regional Council at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, sending Israelis scrambling for shelter. The rocket fired from Gaza landed in a residential area, exploding next to a house and causing no damage or injuries. Police and Homefront Command forces cordoned off the area while sappers safely removed the projectile from the premises.
The Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the military wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, had initially claimed responsibility for the attack, but later on Sunday the radical Aknaf Beit al-Maqdis group, a Salafi group affiliated with the Islamic State group, claimed the attack.
Hamas was quick to distance itself from the incident, issuing a brief statement to the Palestinian media denying any involvement in the attack.
Israeli military aircraft and tanks fired at Hamas terrorist infrastructure at around 3 p.m., hitting several targets, including a Hamas observation point. A second IAF strike took place at around 10 p.m. targeting additional Hamas and Islamic Jihad positions.
“The IAF targeted terrorist infrastructure in response to projectile fire at the city of Sderot, which violated Israel’s sovereignty and placed Israeli lives at risk. Hamas is the sovereign ruler of the Gaza Strip and it will be held responsible for any terrorist attack emanating from Gaza. The IDF will continue to act decisively at all times to protect and defend the State of Israel,” an IDF statement said.
Military spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said the operation was meant “to bring quiet to the people of southern Israel,” saying Hamas was trying to “inflict pain, cause fear and to terrorize Israelis” in the middle of the summer vacation.
Palestinian officials said nearly all of the airstrikes took place in northern Gaza, near the Israeli border.
Palestinian Health Ministry official Ashraf al-Qidra said two Palestinians, including a 17-year-old boy, were lightly wounded.
The attack disrupted the Live Sderot music festival that had been taking place in the city. Mayor Alon Davidi consulted with police and military officials, and was granted permission to resume the festival, which saw some 5,000 visitors. Israelis gathered to celebrate.
“We’ll prove to anyone who wants to harm us and disrupt our lives that they can’t do that,” one festival goer told Israel Hayom. “Naturally, we have some concerns over the rocket fire, but rocket or no rocket—life has to go on.”
Meanwhile, Turkey’s state-run news agency says police have detained five people who tried to break into Israel’s consulate in Istanbul to protest the Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
Anadolu Agency said the five entered a business center housing the consulate early Monday and were detained by police who were called to the scene. Security around the building was increased, Anadolu said.
The incident comes just days after Turkey’s parliament approved a reconciliation pact reached with Israel last month, ending a six-year rift and paving the way for the mutual reappointment of ambassadors.
