Israel Prepares for Possible Gaza Rocket Barrage after Death of Islamic Jihad Leader
Jerusalem, Israel – Security forces in Israel are preparing for rockets launched from the Gaza Strip following the death of a Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander near the northern Israeli city of Jenin Thursday.
Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad threatened retaliation after Brigade Commander Muhammad Ayman al-Saadi and another terrorist were killed in clashes with Israeli troops in the village of Burqin.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have conducted raids throughout the West Bank (biblical Judea and Samaria) for months, as terror attacks planned from there rose dramatically in 2022. During the raid that killed al-Saadi, the IDF also confiscated M-16 rifles. The commander was wanted by Israel for shooting at soldiers and distributing firearms.
Both Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, threatened to retaliate for the deaths. Palestinian Islamic Jihad spokesman Tariq Ezz El Din warned in a statement that the killings “will not pass without a response.”
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid hailed the IDF action, referring to it as "a direct continuation of our uncompromising policy in the fight against terrorism."
Palestinian sources said 20 Palestinians were wounded in the heavy fighting.
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