By: Fern Sidman

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday reported significant progress in its expanding offensive against Hamas and allied terrorist factions in Gaza, detailing a sweeping aerial campaign that struck more than 120 targets over the past 24 hours. According to the military, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) focused its strikes on a combination of operational infrastructure, armed operatives, and fortified positions designed to prolong the fighting in Gaza City — the epicenter of Hamas’s military command structure.

The announcement emphasizes Israel’s continued determination to dismantle the terror networks responsible for the October 7 atrocities and to ensure that Gaza cannot serve again as a launchpad for cross-border attacks.

The IAF’s latest strikes, carried out in tandem with ground operations, targeted buildings commandeered by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). These structures, according to the IDF, were being used to store weapons and provide cover for gunmen engaged in urban combat.

The 98th Division, spearheading the operation in Gaza City, reported eliminating several armed operatives during the latest maneuvers. In addition to neutralizing immediate threats, troops uncovered significant caches of weaponry, including rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), short-range rockets, and small arms, all of which were likely intended for further assaults on Israeli forces.

Crucially, the division also coordinated precision drone strikes on a Hamas surveillance post, degrading the group’s ability to track Israeli troop movements, as well as a staging area used by PIJ operatives preparing for imminent attacks.

“The objective is to strip Hamas and PIJ of their ability to coordinate, monitor, and launch operations in real time,” an IDF officer explained. “Every eliminated surveillance capability and every destroyed stockpile translates directly into lives saved — both for our soldiers and for Israeli civilians.”

Parallel operations by the 162nd and 36th divisions further intensified the pressure on Gaza’s militant networks. Both divisions, operating in separate sectors of Gaza City, engaged in close-quarters combat with Hamas fighters while systematically dismantling underground infrastructure.

Tunnels, long a cornerstone of Hamas’s asymmetric warfare strategy, were a central target in the most recent wave of operations. The IDF described the destruction of multiple subterranean routes used for smuggling weapons, sheltering operatives, and planning assaults.

“These tunnels are not defensive hideouts — they are offensive assets,” one senior officer said. “They allow terrorists to move freely between neighborhoods, ambush our forces, and stockpile weapons beneath civilian structures. Neutralizing them is essential to breaking Hamas’s military backbone.”

The ground forces’ successes in dismantling these networks are viewed as a critical milestone in Israel’s broader effort to erode Hamas’s capacity to wage sustained war.

Saturday’s report highlighted Israel’s reliance on the integration of air power with on-the-ground intelligence. The IDF has increasingly leveraged real-time battlefield data from ground troops to guide precision drone and fighter jet strikes, ensuring that targets are not only identified but neutralized with minimal delay.

This fusion of capabilities reflects lessons learned from earlier phases of the conflict. While Hamas continues to rely on its entrenched infrastructure, Israel’s adoption of drone warfare and advanced surveillance tools has allowed for rapid disruption of enemy operations.

Military analysts note that the 98th Division’s drone-directed strikes on Hamas and PIJ staging posts exemplify this evolving doctrine. “What we are seeing is the use of cutting-edge ISR [intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance] assets integrated with maneuver forces,” one defense analyst observed. “This is how modern armies dismantle irregular forces embedded in urban environments.”

The IDF’s focus on Gaza City is unsurprising. As the political and military nerve center of Hamas, the city has long served as the hub for command and control operations. Its dense urban environment — replete with underground networks and fortified positions — presents some of the most challenging terrain for conventional forces.

For Israel, progress in Gaza City represents both a tactical and symbolic achievement. Neutralizing Hamas’s strongholds here signals not only military success but also the undermining of the group’s claim to govern and defend the enclave.

“Every destroyed tunnel, every neutralized surveillance post, every operative eliminated weakens Hamas’s grip on Gaza City,” the IDF stressed.

While the IDF reports continued advances, officials acknowledge that the campaign remains complex and fraught with challenges. Hamas and PIJ fighters continue to exploit civilian areas, embedding themselves in apartment buildings, schools, and hospitals. This tactic, condemned by Israel and international observers alike, complicates military operations and increases the risk of collateral damage.

Nevertheless, Israeli officials maintain that the use of precision-guided munitions and carefully calibrated drone strikes demonstrates their commitment to minimizing civilian harm. The military has repeatedly emphasized its policy of issuing evacuation warnings before major strikes.

The humanitarian dimension of the conflict, however, remains a global point of contention. International voices continue to urge restraint, even as Israel insists that dismantling Hamas is a prerequisite for any lasting stability in the region.

Saturday’s update marks another step in Israel’s broader strategy to decisively cripple Hamas’s military capabilities. By striking over 120 targets in a single day and maintaining momentum in Gaza City, the IDF is signaling both its operational tempo and its determination to press forward despite international scrutiny.

The continued cooperation of divisions such as the 98th, 162nd, and 36th — alongside the precision power of the Air Force and artillery units — underscores the scale and coordination of Israel’s military effort.

For Israeli leadership, the campaign is about more than battlefield victories. It is about ensuring that Hamas’s ability to wage war against Israel is not merely degraded but decisively dismantled. As one senior Israeli official noted, “The people of Israel deserve security that is not temporary. They deserve to know that Hamas cannot rise again to repeat the horrors of October 7.”

The IDF’s announcement of 120 targets struck in the Gaza Strip within 24 hours highlights the intensity of Israel’s ongoing campaign to eliminate Hamas and PIJ as organized military threats. From uncovering weapons stockpiles and destroying tunnels to coordinating precision drone strikes, the actions of the 98th, 162nd, and 36th divisions reflect a methodical dismantling of terrorist infrastructure in Gaza City.

While the challenges remain formidable — including the risks of urban warfare  — Israel’s military insists that its operations are not only justified but essential. The pace and precision of the campaign signal a clear message: Israel is prepared to do whatever is necessary to secure its borders and ensure the safety of its citizens.