The Israel Defense Forces and the country's internal security service Shin Bet said its aircraft struck an “underground terror route” at a mosque in the occupied West Bank's Jenin refugee camp that was allegedly being used by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants to organise attacks against the Israel, reported local media.
The IDF targeted the underground compound beneath the al-Ansar Mosque after receiving intelligence that the cell was planning an imminent attack, The Times of Israel quoted the security agencies as saying.
The security agencies said the militants used the the mosque as a base to carry out a recent blast along the West Bank border. No Israeli troops were hurt in the explosion.
At least one person was killed and three others injured in the attack, Reuters quoted Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance service as saying. This comes a day after Israeli military said it will intensify attacks.
"Intel was recently received which indicated that the terrorists, (who) were neutralized, were organizing an imminent terror attack," the military stated as it released images purportedly showing an entrance to a bunker under the mosque. A diagram released by the Israeli military purportedly marked the location where militants had stored weapons, reported Reuters.
Israel overnight airstrikes also hit southern Gaza early on Sunday, adding that it would step up its attacks in the north. This development came after the US said it will bring more aid to Palestinians running out of food, water, medicines and fuel. At least 11 Palestinians were killed in an airstrike in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, according to Palestinian media. Reports said Israel was also pounding the southern city of Rafah.
Ahead of the airstrikes, Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari called on Gazans to move south out of harm's way. "For your own safety move southward. We will continue to
attack in the area of Gaza City and increase attacks," Hagari told reporters on Saturday.
-- with inputs from agencies
