Alwaght- While in recent weeks the news about Saudi-Israeli normalization made headlines and the Israeli and Western media talked about imminence of inking the deal, all of a sudden the page turned and the Palestinian resistance groups with a surprise operation against the Israeli occupation captivated the attention.
In reaction to the repeated Israeli crimes in the West Bank and desecration of the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque, Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza launched a massive operation in the occupied territories on Saturday to hold Tel Aviv accountable.
Mohammad al-Deif, the commander of Al-Qassam Brigades as the military wing of Hamas, announced that “in the first phase of the Operation Al-Aqsa Storm more than 5,000 missiles and rockets were fired at enemy positions, airports and their fortifications. We have decided to put an end to this (the Israeli offences) with God’s help. The time of wreaking without being held accountable is over.”
He added that the Israelis desecrated Al-Aqsa and attacked the guardians of the holy place.
“We had warned them before.... Hundreds of people were martyred and injured because of their crimes. Our calls for prisoner swaps were turned down and the violations continue on a daily basis in the West Bank,” he said, inviting the Palestinians for jihad against the occupation. “Today is the day. Everyone who has a gun should come out. Someone who cannot fight directly can participate by showing solidarity.”
The operation by the resistance fighters was so heavy that the Israelis admitted its enormity. The Israeli Army Radio, citing army spokesman, reported that Hamas launched a “combined” operation that included rocket firing and infiltration into the occupied territories.
One of the surprising points of this operation by the Palestinian resistance groups is the infiltration deep into the occupied settlements, which has caused panic and confusion among the settlers and the Israeli military. According to the media, a number of resistance rangers also landed in some areas of the occupied territories using paragliders and engaged with the Israeli enemy, and it is said that a police station was captured by Palestinian fighters. This is the first time that the resistance forces infiltrated the Israeli settlements around Gaza and clashed with the Israeli troops. Some sources announced that small Hamas boats were also planning to infiltrate the occupied territories through the sea, and that sporadic clashes are going on between the resistance and the Israeli forces.
Anti-Israeli operations are ongoing at all levels. Ahmad Abdul Rahman, a military analyst, told Al-Mayadeen news network that there are information about Palestinian cyber attacks on the Israeli Iron Dome air defense systems. If these systems are taken out of service, Hamas rockets will become hard to detect and intercept and they can deal painful blows to the Israeli regime.
Taking spoils from enemy
As they infiltrated the occupied territories, the Palestinian fighters managed to take spoils from the Israelis. Palestine Al Yaum news network reported that resistance forces took control of the streets in the Israeli cities around Gaza. Some sources reported that they have taken as prisoners several Israelis, with Israeli media putting their number at 35.
Also, the footages published by the Palestinian sources show that a Merkava tank was seized by the Palestinians and another tank was set on fire. Also, the published videos indicate that the resistance forces managed to seize a military armored vehicle of the Israeli army and drove it to the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian attacks are carried out in response to the Israeli warmongering in Gaza and the West Bank. In recent days, the occupation forces killed two Palestinian young men in Tulkarm in the West Ban, and during the funeral ceremony of these two martyrs, there were clashes between the occupying forces and the Palestinians in which a number of people were injured, and this incident angered the resistance groups. Also, Israelis desecrated Al-Aqsa Mosque for several days as they performed Yun Kippur rituals, triggering Palestinian fury.
In recent months, the resistance groups showed patience with the Israeli enemy to avoid a new escalation by the Israeli cabinet hardliners, but the Israelis did not appreciate this tolerance and the Palestinians lost their patience.
The Operation Al-Aqsa Storm is the most serious anti-Israeli one since the Operation Sword of Al-Quds in May 2021. Once only fighting the armed-to-the-teeth Israeli regime with light weapons, the Palestinian fighters have now made major ground, air, and sea progresses and for the first time surprised Tel Aviv with a combined operation. The use of missile power, naval power, and drones by Hamas and Islamic Jihad will severely strain the security atmosphere in the occupied territories. Although Israeli opposition leaders have said they stand by the government in these conditions against the Palestinians, the Israeli military has weakened in recent months due to the policies of hardline government in Tel Aviv and, as the Israeli officials warn, it cannot fight on several fronts.
Conditions critical in occupied territories
The lightening start of this operation has put the occupied territories in terror and astonishment. Sounding the sirens in the southern and central cities, the Israeli military announced it is in a state of war and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for an emergency meeting of security officials. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared state of emergency in an area of 80 kilometers from Gaza. He also recalled a massive number of reserve forces to counter the operation. This comes as over the past months, over 10,000 reservists from the Special Forces and pilots have defied the government orders, causing a gap in the body of the military.
On the other hand, the Israeli media reported that what is happening in the Gaza Strip is still unclear. What happened is a big surprise and the Palestinians managed to surprise the Israeli army from land, sea and air.
Images circulating on social platforms show burning cars and damage to some buildings, and according to Israeli media reports, four people have been killed and dozens more injured, two of whom are in critical condition. An Israeli official stated that the number of the dead in the Israeli settlements around Gaza is high and “we cannot give an exact figure of the dead.” The Israelis have cut off the Internet in the south of occupied territories to prevent the circulation of more photos and videos of the wounded in the operations. The Israeli media reported the closure of Ben-Gurion Gurion International Airport and the suspension of flights until further notice. A footage appeared to show the mass fleeing of the Israelis from the conflict areas and thousands of people have also rushed to shelters to escape from resistance missiles.
The Israeli officials have lost the initiative and are in a state of confusion. Although the Israeli army, in order to show its support for the citizens, carried out airstrikes on areas of Gaza and claimed that Hamas will pay a heavy price, given the wave of attacks by the resistance groups and the capturing of dozens of Israeli soldiers, it does not seem the hardliners of the cabinet would start a large-scale operation in such an unfavorable situation. The firing of 5,000 rockets in 20 minutes very well expressed the readiness and capability of the resistance groups, and showed that just contrary to the Israeli crimes, Gaza arsenal is making progress. During Operation Sword of Al-Quds, in 11 days over 4,000 missiles were fired, but during the Saturday operation, 5,000 rockets were fired in a few hours.
All wings of resistance united against enemy
The more Israeli crimes are stepped up, the more coordination among the Palestinian resistance wings increases. The Islamic Jihad’s military wing Saraya Al-Quds threw its support behind the operation, saying “we are part of this war and our fighters will stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers in Hamas until victory.”
“Despite all the challenges, Islamic Jihad continues on the path of jihad and resistance, and the battle with the enemy will continue until victory over it. We, the Hamas movement and the resistance forces in Palestine will remain united until the goals of freedom and liberation of our people are achieved,” stated Islamic Jihad chief Ziyad al-Nakhalah.
West Bank-based resistance groups also voiced solidarity with their brothers in Gaza and opened a second front against the occupation. Lions’ Den group in a statement announced a state of general alert and start of rapid attacks from all sides against the Israeli forces and settlers. This group called on the Palestinian to take to the streets.
“All honorable and free people should come out for massive rallies and raise the voice of God everywhere. All the shopkeepers and households near the police stations and settlements should immediately turn off their CCTVS,” the statement said.
The group also called on everyone who have arms to come out and fight and perform their “honor and manliness” duty. Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh for his part pointed to the operation, saying that “this is a storm that had started from Gaza and will cover other areas.”
Over the past year, West Bank resistance groups have become the biggest nightmare of the Tel Aviv authorities who are extremely afraid of a second front in the West Bank. Due to the proximity of the West Bank to the Israeli settlements, these groups can inflict heavy losses on the occupying enemy, and this was the promise that the resistance leaders had made earlier to fight against the enemy on a united front, and it seems that the joint operation room that has been established in recent years between the Palestinians will show itself well in this battle. As some sources announced and emerging data show, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the entire Axis of Resistance will enter the battle against the Israeli regime in the next few hours.
Gaza resistance groups have over and over warned Israeli cabinet hardliners about any desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and violence against the Palestinian prisoners and announced them a “red line.” Last Tuesday, Hamas reacted to the Israeli atrocities in Al-Quds and Al-Khalil, saying that response will not take a long time. However, such hardliners as National Security Minister Itmar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich turned a deaf ear to these warnings. So, the rain of Palestinian resistance’s rockets on the Israelis was an outcome of provocative actions by the Israeli radicals who with their crimes and occupation sowed wind and now reap storm.
