Israel-Palestine war: Dramatic IDF drone videos claim attack on 130 Hamas hideouts in Gaza - WATCH

Amid the ongoing war, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Monday released drone footage claiming attack on 130 Hamas hideouts in Gaza.

Sunita Iyer

First Published Oct 9, 2023, 9:22 PM IST | Last Updated Oct 9, 2023, 9:22 PM IST

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have released several high-altitude footage on Monday evening, showcasing devastating aerial strikes on Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip. The video clips capture multiple rocket missile strikes hitting what IDF claims as 'wreaking havoc' on Hamas terrorists. Several explosions are recorded, with bright orange flashes followed by the ominous and slow-spreading dark grey smoke that engulfs the surrounding regions. As the camera pans and zooms in, it reveals the aftermath of these strikes - smoldering concrete shells that were once homes and apartment buildings. The heart of the neighbourhood appears to have been completely leveled, with no signs of movement or life.

"Throughout the last day, Air Force planes have been carrying out extensive attacks along the length and breadth of the Gaza Strip, wreaking havoc on Hamas terrorists. In just the last three hours, about 130 targets were attacked using dozens of planes. The focus of the attack: Beit Hanon, Sajaya, Al Furkan and Rimal," read IDF's post on X, formerly Twitter.

In another video shared, the IDF stated, "Dozens of fighter jets recently attacked many targets around the Al Furkan neighborhood. Al Furkan neighborhood serves as a terror nest for Hamas and from where many activities against Israel are carried out."

Reports indicate that more than 1,300 people have lost their lives in this brutal conflict, initiated after Hamas fighters surprised Israel and breached one of the world's most fortified borders. The death toll stands at over 800 in Israel and approximately 560 in Gaza, with several thousand others injured. According to the United Nations, 123,000 people have been displaced so far. While property damage estimates are not available yet, it is expected to reach billions by the time the conflict subsides.

In response to the attacks, the Israeli government, driven by a desire for revenge, has declared its intention to obliterate Hamas. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has ordered a "complete siege" of Gaza, a densely populated area of 2.3 million people that was already heavily blockaded. Gallant's orders entail a complete cutoff of electricity, food, water, and gas to the region.

Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has declared war on Hamas, vowing to destroy all of the group's hideouts in Gaza. He has issued warnings to civilians to stay away from these structures.

On the third day of the war, Israeli fighter jets and attack helicopters continue to pound the Gaza Strip, with the IDF claiming to have targeted over 500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad sites since Sunday night. Additionally, tens of thousands of Israeli troops have been amassed along the Gaza border.

Meanwhile, Hamas has maintained a steady barrage of rocket strikes, while hundreds of its fighters engage Israeli ground forces in border towns. Israeli officials have accused Hamas of conducting house-to-house searches to take hostages back to Gaza, including children and elderly individuals.

This conflict, the bloodiest in nearly five decades, erupted early on a Saturday morning when an estimated 1,000 Hamas gunmen attacked Israeli border posts amid a barrage of rockets that overwhelmed Israel's famed Iron Dome, an all-weather aerial defense system.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has pledged to continue "the battle to liberate our land" and has called upon "resistance fighters in the West Bank" as well as those in "Arab and Islamic nations" to join the war effort.

The attack has raised questions about the failure of Mossad and Israel's renowned intelligence network to anticipate the threat. Experts suggest that Hamas is evolving into a military organization capable of conducting top-secret, long-term strategic operations.

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