Tanks were dispatched to the scene and opened fire shortly after the terrorists were identified.
By United with Israel Staff
Israeli forces eliminated six armed terrorists during a firefight in western Rafah on Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed, calling the incident a serious violation of the ceasefire agreement.
According to the military, IDF surveillance units identified six armed gunmen operating near Israeli troops in an area under Israeli control west of Rafah, posing an immediate threat to forces deployed in the southern Gaza Strip.
Tanks were dispatched to the scene and opened fire shortly after the terrorists were identified. The gunmen returned fire at one of the tanks, prompting an exchange that also included strikes by the Israeli Air Force.
Following continued engagements and searches in the area, the IDF said it can now confirm that all six terrorists were killed during the clashes.
The military said the terrorists emerged from a tunnel shaft, with some attempting to retreat back into the tunnel during the firefight. Weapons and additional military equipment were recovered from the terrorists after they were eliminated.
The operation was carried out by the combat team of the IDF’s 7th Brigade. The military stressed that it views any breach of the ceasefire agreement with the utmost severity and will continue to act against attempts by terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip to carry out attacks against IDF forces or Israeli civilians.
The incident comes as international pressure continues to mount on Hamas to move toward disarmament in the near term. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that failure to do so within a short period would carry serious consequences.
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