The Israel Defense Forces says it has launched a major offensive against the Hamas terror group’s rocket-launching capabilities in the northern Gaza Strip, after hundreds of projectiles were fired from the area at Israeli cities across the border earlier in the day.

IDF spokesperson Hidai Zilberman says some 80 fighter jets, including the advanced F-35 aircraft, are taking part in the operation, which began this afternoon.

According to Zilberman, the military aims to destroy dozens of rocket launch tubes that the terror group has buried around the northern Gaza Strip.

The spokesman says this would “totally neutralize” the rocket launching capabilities of three Hamas brigades in northern Gaza.

Zilberman says the military has also conducted an additional targeted killing of a Hamas commander, taking out the head of the terror group’s anti-tank guided missile unit in Gaza City.

The spokesman says the IDF also bombed an attack tunnel approaching the border with Israel, which had operatives in it at the time and are now trapped inside.

“This is not something that will end in 24 hours. This is something that will last,” he says, echoing similar comments made by Defense Minister Benny Gantz earlier in the day.

According to Zilberman, 3,000 reservists have been called up to various units in the military, notably the Southern Command and Home Front Command, and reinforcements were sent to the Gaza Division from the Golani Infantry Brigade and 7th Armored Brigade.

He says an additional Iron Dome missile defense battery has also been deployed in southern Israel.

Source: TOI

Palestinian media reports that Israeli warships have begun a naval assault on the Gaza strip.

Source: Arutz Sheva

The IDF and Israel Security Agency (ISA) released a statement Tuesday announcing the elimination of a senior figure in the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization responsible for the firing of dozens of rockets against Israel.

“In a joint operation by the IDF and the ISA: a strike was carried out targeting a hideout in which senior members of the PIJ’s rocket unit were hiding – the head of the special rocket unit of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Samah Abed Al-Mamluk, was killed,” the statement began,

“Earlier today, Tuesday, May 11, 2021, a joint IDF and ISA strike was carried out on a hideout where a number of senior operatives of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization were located.”

“As a result of this operation, the commander of the special rocket unit of the PIJ, Samah Abed al-Mamluk, was killed.”

“In the attack, other senior members from the PIJ rocket unit were killed as well.”

“The operatives conducted numerous rocket attacks carried out by the PIJ, including during the last 24 hours.”

“The IDF and the ISA are prepared to continue the campaign as long as necessary through a wide range of operational plans,” the statement concluded.

Source: Arutz Sheva