Twelve people, including top militants killed after Israeli jets hit targets in Gaza
Israel airstrikes in Gaza
Israel launched air strikes early Tuesday (May 9) against the militant group Islamic Jihad in Gaza, killing 12 people. According to a report by the news agency AFP, the Israeli army said it targetedthree leaders of Islamic Jihad and hit"weapon manufacturing sites" belonging to the group.The militant group confirmed three senior officials were killed, naming them in a statement as Jihad Ghannam, secretary of the Al-Quds Brigades military council, and Khalil al-Bahtini,also of the council and commander of the military wing in northernGaza.
The third official, Tareq Ezzedine, was described by Islamic Jihad as "one of the heads of military action" in the occupied West Bank who operated fromGaza, AFP reported.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, witnesses saidan explosion hit the top floor of an apartment building in Gaza and a house in the southern city of Rafah.
ALSO WATCH |45-year-old Islamic Jihad member Khader Adnan dies is Israeli custody
Palestinian officials, as per Reuters, confirmed that the Israeli militarykilled three senior Islamic Jihad commanders in Gaza.
The Israeli army, meanwhile, also instructed its citizenswithin 40 kilometres of Gaza to enter bomb shelters and following a "situational assessment" they are to remain there until Wednesday. This comes as previous strikeson the Islamic Jihadgrouphave sparked barrages of rockets on Israeli civilianswhich can go on for days, reported the Israeli media.
ALSO READ |Nearly 40 rockets fired from Gaza after Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israeli custody; Israel retaliates
In line with the IDF'swarning, schools near Gaza and surrounding areas were asked to be cancelled.COGAT, a unit in the Israeli defence ministry that coordinates civilian affairs with the Palestinians, said two crossings with Gaza were closed for entry and exit of people and goods until further notice, reported Reuters.
Previous attacks
This comes days after dozens ofprojectiles were fired from Gaza Strip at southern Israelafter an Islamic Jihad leader andPalestinian hunger striker, Khader Adnan, died in Israeli custody following an 87-day hunger strike. The incident had not only sparked protests but also several rockets were launched from Gaza.
It was not until hours later that the IDFconducted air strikes in response to the volley of rockets launched at Israel and saidit targeted the Hamas training camp and several other sites belonging to the group.
(With inputs from agencies)
WATCH WION LIVE HERE
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.