"Dangerous" Field Escalation in Rafah.. Ben Gvir Calls for Resuming War

SadaNews - The Rafah area in southern Gaza Strip is witnessing a wide field escalation today, Sunday, following reports of the occupation's engineering vehicles being targeted by anti-tank missiles, coinciding with intensive airstrikes carried out by the Israeli Air Force on several sites in the city.

Israeli reports indicated that the Prime Minister of the occupation, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, are currently conducting a security assessment with military and security leadership to discuss "the nature of the response to the violations" attributed to Hamas.

Israeli media stated that "the violation carried out by Hamas is considered a dangerous escalation," noting that initial reports spoke of "a guided missile launched towards an Israeli engineering vehicle east of Rafah."

It added that the army is investigating "another suspicious incident in the same area," related to "a sniper operation that targeted a second engineering vehicle," confirming that both incidents occurred near the eastern border of Rafah.

Israeli sources mentioned that there was an exchange of fire between occupation forces and resistance elements in the southern sector, after a Hamas-affiliated group fired a barrage of shells at the occupation forces. They claimed the death of two Hamas members.

According to preliminary Israeli reports, the attack resulted in injuries to four Israeli soldiers, two of whom are in serious condition and were evacuated by helicopter for treatment.

Meanwhile, local sources in Rafah reported that the Israeli Air Force carried out at least three airstrikes on the eastern outskirts of the city; local sources indicated that the Israeli airstrikes came "in an attempt to protect local militias affiliated with Yasser Abu Shabab," which operate under the cover of occupation forces in the eastern region of Rafah.

This escalation comes days after a relative calm in the southern sector, within the field arrangements in preparation for the second phase of "Trump's plan," while Israel continues to hold Hamas responsible for any field violation despite its ongoing military operations in several areas.

While Palestinian sources reported casualties and injuries in an Israeli airstrike east of Jabalia in northern Gaza Strip, the occupation claimed that two Palestinians approached its forces' positions at the "yellow line" in the area and targeted them in an air attack.

Following the reports of the operation in Rafah, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called on Prime Minister Netanyahu to issue an order for the army "to resume fighting in the Gaza Strip with full force."