Israel has stepped up its border surveillance operations as its forces prepare for a major ground operation in the Gaza Strip.
Israel has been launching massive airstrikes and limited ground operations against targets in Gaza since when Hamas fighters attacked towns and military bases in southern Israel on Oct 7. The fighting so far has resulted in the loss of more than 8,800 lives on both sides.
The unrelenting sounds of explosions and fighter jets taking off could still be heard on Friday in Kfar Aza, a kibbutz near the Israel-Gaza border in southern Israel, one of the communities along the border that were attacked by Hamas militants after they breached the frontier fence separating the Palestinian enclave from Israel.
On October 26, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said that they were stepping up monitoring of its border areas with Gaza with efforts underway to remove explosive devices and repair and install optical cables and other facilities to enhance the Israeli military’s capability to collect information.
Tethered balloons were also seen in the skies above the border area, a common surveillance platform for the IDF which give its commanders an aerial view of the area using sophisticated cameras and other monitoring equipment.
Israeli tanks and infantry raided the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday night into Thursday morning targeting Hamas positions.
The IDF said it would continue such limited ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, while Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Thursday that Israel planned a massive ground offensive against the Gaza Strip when conditions allow.
The Times of Israel on Friday quoted the IDF as saying that one of its marine commando units had carried out a raid in southern Gaza from the sea overnight and destroyed Hamas infrastructure there. Israeli forces have since exited the area and returned to Israeli territory after the operation, it added.
Hamas claimed earlier in the day to have repelled an Israeli attack from the sea.
Israeli Defense Forces Spokesman Daniel Hagari said Israel’s military would expand its ground operation on Friday night.
The IDF has increased aerial bombings in Gaza “very significantly” in recent hours, Hagari said, adding the air force is attacking underground targets as it prepares for a ground operation.
Hagari said the IDF would continue to attack Gaza City and surrounding areas in the northern Gaza Strip, while reiterating his call for Palestinians to evacuate to the southern part of the besieged enclave.
(Inputs from Reuters)