The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have expanded the area of the ground operation in the Gaza Strip, which began a day earlier, to the southern part of the strip, near the border with Egypt, to the city of Rafah. This was reported on the IDF Telegram channel on Thursday, March 20.
“In the past few hours, the Israel Defense Forces launched a ground operation in the Shabur area of Rafah,” the military said. It added that they “are simultaneously continuing ground operations in the northern and central parts of Gaza.” The IDF also confirmed that it had carried out airstrikes on militant positions in the Gaza Strip, calling its goal “the destruction of terrorist infrastructure.”
The IDF also reported the killing of Rashid Jajouh, the head of Hamas’s internal security services in Gaza. He had been in that position since July 2024. His predecessor, Sami Udeh, was also killed.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 530 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes and fighting in recent days.
Houthis threaten new attacks on Israeli-linked ships
In Yemen, the Houthis have threatened to resume attacks on Israeli-linked ships after a deadline given by Israel to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip expired, AFP reported on March 12.
A statement from the rebels, cited by the agency, said they intend to renew the "ban on all Israeli ships" in the Red and Arabian Seas, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden.
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