Israel Struck 600 Gaza Targets, Says Hamas Rocket Manufacturing Facilities Destroyed

The Israeli army claimed on Thursday that it struck over 600 targets in the Gaza Strip since the start of its military operation, with the health authorities in the coastal enclave reporting 83 Palestinians dead, in the most heated exchanges since 2014.

According to Israel, it destroyed most of Hamas' rocket manufacturing facilities.

On a night where over 130 rockets rained down on Israel, sirens blared across border towns, and in central and southern Israel. In total, 1,160 rockets have been fired at Israel, leaving seven dead, including one five-year-old from Sderot.

Meanwhile, international travel to and from Israel has been severely disrupted, with commerical flights to Tel Aviv redirected to Eilat.

Israel's airforce and artillery has continued to bombard the Strip, with local health officials reporting 83 dead, including 17 minors, and a further 487 wounded.

The IDF said that the majority of the sites belonged to Hamas, and also reported the assassination of several major figures from the Islamist movement.

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On Wednesday, a meeting by the security cabinet ended with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other ministers unanimously agreeing that Israel will not yet accept a ceasefire and will continue military strikes in Gaza.

Earlier in the day, the Biden administration announced that it will send Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Israel and Palestinian Affairs Hady Amr to Israel "immediately" in a bid to deescalate tensions between Israel and the Palestinians. The U.S. also reiterated its commitment to Israel's right to defend itself.