IDF targets militant activity in southern Gaza

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced that its troops eliminated an armed individual in the southern Gaza Strip after he crossed the so-called “Yellow Line” and approached Israeli forces, creating what the military described as an immediate threat.

According to the army’s press service, soldiers operating in the area identified the suspect on Thursday as he moved toward their positions. After assessing the situation and determining that the individual posed a direct danger, troops opened fire and neutralised him. The IDF stressed that Southern Command units remain deployed in accordance with the ceasefire arrangements and will act whenever necessary to remove immediate threats to their forces.

The incident comes as Israeli troops continue broader engineering operations east of the “Yellow Line.” The military said these activities include targeted drilling aimed at locating underground tunnels and dismantling militant infrastructure both above and below ground.

In a separate update, the IDF reported that forces from the Northern Brigade, working alongside Yahalom combat engineering units, destroyed underground tunnel routes stretching roughly five kilometres in the Beit Hanoun area. During the operation, soldiers also uncovered a weapons cache hidden within one of the tunnels.

According to the military, the cache contained surveillance and tracking equipment, explosive devices, ammunition, grenades, grenade launchers, rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.

The IDF added that Southern Command forces will continue operating under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, focusing on eliminating immediate security threats while ensuring the safety of residents in Israel’s western Negev region.

By Tamilla Hasanova