401st Brigade eliminated around 150 terrorists, gain control over Hamas strongholds: IDF

Taking to X, IDF stated, "Operational Update The 401st Brigade has eliminated approximately 150 terrorists and gained control over Hamas terrorist strongholds in northern Gaza. Targets included: Arms production site Launching Stations An underground network."

In a separate incident, IDF said that it struck a series of terrorist targets belonging to Hezbollah in Lebanon. It said that the attacks were carried out in response to launches over the past day.

In a post shared on X, IDF stated, "IDF aircraft struck a series of terrorist targets belonging to Hezbollah in Lebanon in response to launches over the last day. Targets included: Terrorist infrastructure & military posts Weapons Depots Intelligence infrastructure."

On Friday, the IDF said that three aircraft infiltrated Israeli territory from Lebanon. The IDF stated that its aerial defence array intercepted one while the other two fell in the north.

In another update on Friday, the IDF informed that its Artillery Corps' 7th Brigade conducted operational activities in a Hamas military post and a training compound in Gaza. According to IDF, the soldiers searched the office of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's brother, Muhammad Sinwar.

"The IDF Artillery Corps' 7th Brigade conducted operational activities in a Hamas military post and a training compound in Gaza. During the activities, the soldiers searched the office of Muhammad Sinwar, brother of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, where military doctrine documents were located. Additionally, soldiers secured buildings and seized dozens of weapons including: missiles, UAVs, maps, communication devices, mortars, attack drones and technological assets. The troops eliminated approximately 30 terrorists," IDF posted on X.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to French President Emmanuel Macron's call for Israel to stop attacking the civilians in Gaza.

Netanyahu stressed that Hamas is responsible for these deaths and not Israel, The Times of Israel reported. He further said that Israel is making every effort possible to avoid harming civilians in Gaza, while Hamas is doing everything to prevent them from leaving for safe zones.

"While Israel is doing everything to refrain from harming civilians and calling on them to leave areas of fighting, Hamas-ISIS is doing everything to prevent them from leaving for safe areas and is using them as human shields," Netanyahu said in a statement.

He said that Hamas is "cruelly holding our hostages--women, children and the elderly--in a crime against humanity" and "uses schools, mosques and hospitals as terror command centres."

Furthermore, Netanyahu said that Hamas is committing crimes in Gaza, tomorrow it will spread such attacks in other nations as well, according to The Times of Israel. "These crimes that Hamas-ISIS is coming today in Gaza, will tomorrow be committed in Paris, New York and everywhere around the world. World leaders must condemn Hamas-ISIS and not Israel," he added. (ANI)