At Least 20 Killed - Israeli Army Suffers Highest Losses in Rafah

In a short statement on Saturday evening, Al-Qassam Brigades said that it had "lured a Zionist force, detonated a bomb and killed five soldiers east of Rafah." 

The latest announcement takes the number of Israeli soldiers killed in Rafah on Saturday alone to 20, one of the highest death tolls suffered by the Israeli military in one day since the start of the war. 

Firing Rockets 

Earlier today, the Palestinian Resistance fired rockets towards Ashkelon, in addition to Israeli military sites in Gaza. 

Fighters from all Resistance organizations continued to confront the Israeli occupation forces in the Jabaliya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip and in the eastern neighborhoods of Rafah in the south. 

The Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, said it bombarded the occupied city of Ashkelon with a rocket barrage "in response to the enemy's crimes against our people."

Israeli Army Radio claimed that six rockets fired from the Gaza Strip towards the Ashkelon area were intercepted.

The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, citing Israeli sources that the number of rockets fired from Gaza were ten, and that they originated in the north. It also said that only five of the rockets were in fact intercepted.

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Bombing Military Headquarters

For its part, the Al-Qassam, the military wing of the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas, said that it shelled the headquarters of the command and control of the Israeli occupation forces east of Jabaliya with high-caliber mortar shells.

In the morning, Al-Qassam also announced that it had shelled the Israeli occupation forces stationed inside the Rafah Crossing in the southern Gaza Strip with mortar shells.

Al-Qassam also targeted three Israeli tanks with Al-Yassin 105 shells, one in the Al-Tanour neighborhood east of Rafah, the second in the vicinity of the cemetery in the same area, and the third east of Jabaliya. 

Yassin 105 shell was also fired at a D-9 military bulldozer in the al-Tanour neighborhood.

Al-Qassam fighters are seen sniping an Israeli soldier on the axis of advance east of the city of Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/CEbbH7wGEy

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 17, 2024

Two Operations in Rafah 

But the largest operation announced today involved the killing of 15 Israeli soldiers in the al-Tanour neighborhood, east of Rafah.

In a Telegram post, Al-Qassam said it targeted a house where many occupation soldiers were holed up with an anti-personnel device.

Al-Qassam fighters then stormed the house and clashed with the remaining soldiers from a distance of zero with light machine guns and grenades, the group said.

In another operation, announced this evening, al-Qassam said that its fighters lured an Israeli force and detonated an anti-personnel device, confirming the death of five soldiers and the injury of others. 

The latest operation reportedly took place in the vicinity of the Taabi'a Mosque east of Rafah.

Meanwhile, in the northern Gaza Strip, the Al-Qassam Brigades fired a SAM-7 missile at an Israeli Apache helicopter north of Jabaliya.

Back to Rafah, the Al-Quds Brigades said that its fighters are engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli soldiers and vehicles east of Rafah.

They also fired high-caliber mortar shells at Israeli occupation soldiers and vehicles in Al-Tanour neighborhood in the same axis.

The brigades also published scenes of fierce clashes fought by its fighters in the Jabaliya camp.

In this video, Al-Qassam fighters are seen targeting a Merkava tank and a zionist troop carrier with Al-Yassin 105 shells and shooting at a number of occupation soldiers east of Jabaliya camp in the northern Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/Q97gIliOpt

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 17, 2024

'Battle of Attrition' 

Abu Obeida, the military spokesman for al-Qassam, said on Friday that fighters within 10 days managed to target 100 Israeli military vehicles. 

He stressed the Resistance's readiness for a "long battle of attrition with the enemy" and its ability to withstand and fight.

Abu Obeida added that the Israeli enemy, after 32 weeks of war, has "entered hell again" in Gaza and is facing stronger resistance than before. 

Entering Hell - Abu Obeida Assesses Gaza Battle Days following New Israeli Military Push

(PC, AJA)