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Death toll from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) ongoing operation against the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in the Gaza Strip has risen to ten, the Health Ministry in the enclave said, adding that at least 55 people have been wounded so far.
The IDF said it launched Operation Breaking Dawn on August 5 in response to recent threats by the PIJ, whose military wing, the al-Quds Brigades, has been very active in the West Bank.
So far, Israeli strikes have hit a number of targets of the al-Quds Brigades in different parts of Gaza, including a rocket launch site and several observation towers. The IDF released footage of some of the strikes.
Among the casualties of Operation Breaking Dawn was Tayseer Jabari, the commander of the al-Quds Brigades in Gaza’s northern sector.
The PIJ command have already vowed that it will respond to the Israeli operation, noting that it would not hesitate to target Tel Aviv with rockets. The Hamas Movement, the de-facto ruler of the Gaza Strip, also said that the IDF will face fierce resistance from all Palestinian factions.
The IDF is currently preparing for the upcoming response by the PIJ and other factions in Gaza. Security measures in nearby Israeli settlements have been tightened. Additional Iron Dome systems were also deployed near Gaza in anticipation for rocket attacks from the enclave. Furthermore, Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz has approved a draft order to call up 25,000 reserve soldiers.
Despite the threat of a full-blown military confrontation, Israel appears to be determined to go on with Operation Breaking Dawn. A senior official in the IDF told Channel 12 that the operation will not end within hours.
Israel reportedly informed Egypt and other sides before launching the operation. While the operation is only directed against the PIJ, it is clearly meant to deter all factions in Gaza as well as in the West Bank.
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