TEL AVIV, June 5. /TASS/. The Israeli military has said it is conducting more targeted counter-terrorism operations in the al-Bureij and Deir al-Balah refugee camps in the central part of the Gaza Strip.

"During the past 24 hours, IDF troops simultaneously launched targeted operations in the areas of al-Bureij and Deir al-Balah refugee camps. The operations began on the basis of intelligence information indicating the presence of terrorists and terrorist infrastructure on the surface and underground, <...> with a series of airstrikes against terrorist targets, including military installations, weapons depots and underground facilities," the army’s press service has said.

"Several Hamas terrorists were destroyed in the strikes," the press office continued, noting that in the areas of these refugee camps, "troops are dismantling terrorist infrastructure located several kilometers from the border with Israel."

Also, "the IDF continues targeted operations in the Rafah area" in the southern Gaza Strip, the military added, pointing out that "troops discovered large amounts of weapons and eliminated armed terrorists" in the area. "Moreover, the IDF continue to operate in the central part of [Gaza City]," where "troops have identified a terrorist squad that was destroyed" by an airstrike, the press office said.

Tensions in the Middle East soared after armed supporters of the Palestinian radical movement Hamas infiltrated from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory on October 7, 2023, killing residents in border settlements and seizing 250 hostages. Israel declared a complete blockade of Gaza and launched retaliatory strikes against the strip and parts of Lebanon and Syria before launching a ground operation in the enclave, which is still continuing.