Palestinian militants say 100 rockets launched at Israel (VIDEOS) — Analysis

Palestinian Islamic Jihad warned of a bigger offensive and stated that the group had fired more than 100 missiles at Israel on Friday. The assault was launched in response to an Israeli military operation that killed one of the PIJ’s most senior commanders and continued to rock Gaza overnight.

Israeli aircraft struck an apartment in Gaza early Friday and killed Taysir al Jabari (PIJ Commander). The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also targeted an additional 10-20 PIJ operatives with missiles and artillery, in a dramatic offensive it named ‘Operation Breaking Dawn’.

The PIJ immediately threatened to strike Tel Aviv with missiles in response, and within hours of al-Jabari’s death, air raid sirens could be heard across southern Israel. Video footage shot by RT Arabic correspondent Dalia Nammari showed some of these projectiles passing overhead near the Israel-Gaza border, with some intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense batteries.

The PIJ stated that more than 100 rockets were fired at southern and central Israel’s towns, and that the barrage had been a total of 2,000 rounds. “just the beginning” of its response to al-Jabari’s assassination. According to the IDF, around 80 rockets from Gaza were launched. Half of them fell short in the area around the Palestinian enclave. The Iron Dome intercepted 33 of the 46 rockets that reached Israeli territory while the remainder fell in open spaces, according to the IDF.

The PIJ may have homemade al-Quds missiles as well as antitank missiles.

In the midst of the Gaza salvo, Israeli aircraft launched an additional wave of airstrikes against Gaza. These strikes were directed at what the IDF claimed to be the targets. “weapons production sites, warehouses and firing positions.”Two storage buildings and an alleged rocket firing location were captured on video.

Palestinian officials said that at least ten people were killed by Israel’s airstrikes, including a five-year-old girl, while more than 55 additional Palestinians were wounded.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz had earlier announced that he has authorized the call up of approximately 25,000 reservists. Ron Kochav, IDF spokesperson, told Channel 12 that an operation against PIJ will be conducted. “take a long time.” 

Prime Minister Yair Lepid spoke the same words in his address to the nation on Friday night, declaring that “the battle is over.” “will take as long as it takes.” 

“Israel will not sit idly by when there are those who are trying to harm its civilians,” Lapid said. “This government has a zero-tolerance policy for any attempted attacks – of any kind – from Gaza toward Israeli territory.”

The latest escalation began when Israeli forces arrested PIJ’s West Bank leader, Bassem Saadi, in the city of Jenin on Monday. A Palestinian teenager was killed in the raid on Saadi’s home, triggering an outcry across the Palestinian territories. Israeli officials warned of imminent revenge attacks as the PIJ put its fighters under high alert.