Israeli Forces Strike 300 Hamas Facilities... Gaza Strip Encirclement and Pressure

Simultaneous Operations After Entering Three Sides of Gaza Strip Targeting Hamas Anti-Tank Guided Missiles and Rocket Launchers

Israel struck more than 300 facilities of the Palestinian armed faction Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In particular, it appears to be strengthening the encirclement by surrounding three sides of the Gaza Strip with tanks and armored vehicles to root out Hamas.

On the 31st (local time), the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted a statement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), announcing, "In the ground operation in the Gaza Strip, we killed numerous Hamas terrorists and struck about 300 targets."

They added, "The targets hit by ground forces, air force, and navy included Hamas's anti-tank guided missile and rocket launchers, tunnel entrances, and military buildings."

The IDF specifically stated, "During the ground operation, the Israeli forces engaged in fierce firefights with terrorists firing missiles and machine guns," and "In the process, many terrorists were killed, and airstrikes were requested from the air force." However, the IDF did not disclose the exact locations of ground troops or the scale of their casualties on that day.

On the 30th (local time), black smoke rises in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, which was bombed by Israel. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, major foreign media outlets such as the US New York Times (NYT) and the UK BBC reported that since the Israeli forces launched a ground offensive on the 27th against the Gaza Strip, they have advanced with tanks to the outskirts of Gaza City, the central city of the Gaza Strip, blocking major access roads.

The NYT reported that after analyzing satellite images taken by the private satellite company Planet Labs of the northern Gaza Strip near the Israeli border, they confirmed hundreds of tanks and armored vehicles crossing the border.

The residential areas around the locations where the Israeli forces gathered were bombed or shelled, causing apartment buildings to collapse and roads to be cratered. The unit that penetrated deepest among the Israeli forces advanced to the Al-Karama area north of Gaza City.

The Washington Post (WP) also reported that the Israeli forces "discovered an anti-tank missile launch site in the Al-Azhar University area south of Gaza City and guided fighter jets to bomb it."

Meanwhile, the Israeli military radio reported that the military authorities shot down a drone infiltrating from the Red Sea on that day. In connection with this, the IDF's domestic front command issued an enemy aircraft intrusion alert near Eilat, a Red Sea resort city.

On the 30th (local time), numerous Israeli tanks have gathered in the southern region of Israel adjacent to the Gaza Strip in Palestine.
[Image source=Yonhap News]