Al-Qassam Brigades Target Tel Aviv and Netzarim Axis in Renewed Offensive
In a significant escalation of conflict, the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, launched a barrage of rockets towards Tel Aviv on October 7, 2024. This offensive marks a year since the commencement of the Battle of the Flood of Al-Aqsa, a pivotal event in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The attacks included the destruction of the strategic Netzarim axis, a vital corridor separating northern and southern Gaza, and targeted Israeli military assets in the central Gaza Strip.
The barrage of rockets aimed at Tel Aviv was described as a response to Israeli actions against Palestinians, including reported massacres and displacement. The Israeli Home Front Command confirmed that sirens were activated in Greater Tel Aviv and central Israel as five rockets were launched from the Khan Yunis area of Gaza. In retaliation, the Israeli army struck back, targeting the launch sites in Gaza.
In addition to the Tel Aviv strikes, the Al-Qassam Brigades coordinated with the Al-Quds Brigades to bombard military sites along the Netzarim axis using heavy mortars and rockets. This area is historically significant, having been home to a settlement until its evacuation in 2005. The resistance factions claimed to have successfully destroyed critical military installations in this region.
Further operations in the central Gaza Strip involved targeting Israeli Merkava tanks and conducting sniper attacks against Israeli soldiers. Reports indicated that the Al-Qassam Brigades utilized landmines and advanced weaponry, including the Yassin 105 shells, to inflict casualties on Israeli forces.
As the conflict escalates, the Israeli military has responded with airstrikes aimed at Hamas positions throughout the Gaza Strip, asserting that these actions are necessary to neutralize immediate threats. This renewed cycle of violence underscores the fragile and volatile nature of the situation in the region, as both sides engage in a relentless exchange of attacks.
