Palestinian and Yemeni Armed Resistance Deal Blows to US-Israeli Forces

Jacob Montag

Over the past week, Palestinian armed resistance groups in Gaza including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, have reported several successful military operations against the Israeli occupation forces. The intensified combat comes as Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from the ceasefire reaches its one-month anniversary. Since re-invading Gaza a month ago, the stability of the criminal Zionist entity has been shaken by counterattacks from the resistance as well as a growing internal military crisis.

Some of the military operations in Gaza reported by the various armed groups in the Palestinian resistance over the past week are as follows.

Hamas (Al Qassam Brigades):

• On Wednesday (April 16), Al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, confirmed that their fighters detonated three high-explosive devices targeting two Israeli D9 bulldozers operating near Qizan al-Najjar, south of Khan Younis. On the same day, Al Qassam lured an Israeli unit into a tunnel where they were ambushed with gunfire and the detonation of several explosives, reportedly causing several Israeli casualties.
• The next day, in the same area, Al Qassam reported targeting three Israeli D9 bulldozers with a Yassin 105 shell, a Shauth explosive device, and a barrel bomb. Casualties from this operation were unreported.
• On Friday (April 18), Al Qassam Brigades carried out an ambush against Israeli forces in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza. They reported firing an anti-tank missile at a military vehicle occupied by the commanding unit of the Israeli occupation forces’ Gaza Division. When a support force arrived to evacuate the unit, they were met with an anti-personnel bomb from Al Qassam, killing and wounding several Israeli soldiers. The Israeli military acknowledged at least one soldier being killed and five soldier being wounded in this complex attack.
• On Monday (April 21), Al Qassam Brigades released footage of its fighters targeting Israeli tanks and military vehicles with RPGs in the outskirts of the Tuffah neighborhood, east of Gaza City.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad (Al Quds Brigades)

• On Wednesday, Al Quds Brigades reported their fighters shelling Israeli forces east of the Netzarim Corridor with a barrage of rocket fire. Israeli casualties from this operation were unreported.
• On Friday, Al Quds Brigades released footage of their fighters targeting Israeli forces that had infiltrated the city of Rafah. Al Quds fighters used mortar shells and 107mm rockets against several Israeli soldiers and vehicles.
• On Monday, Al Quds Brigades reported taking control of two Israeli drones which “were carrying out intelligence missions in the skies over Gaza City,” according to a statement released by Palestinian Islamic Jihad media.

In addition to the armed actions of the Palestinian resistance, the Yemeni anti-imperialist group Ansar Allah carried out a series of strikes against Israel in response to the re-invasion of the Gaza Strip. The U.S. imperialists have sought to punish Ansar Allah and the people of Yemen for these acts of solidarity with the Palestinians, carrying out several bombing raids against civilian areas and preparing to launch a ground attack against Ansar Allah in collusion with local proxies. Over the past month, at least 123 Yemeni’s have been killed by U.S. airstrikes and another 247 have been injured. Ansar Allah has vowed to continue its solidarity attacks and has increasingly targeted U.S. forces as well:

• On Sunday (April 13), the military spokesperson of Ansar Allah announced in a televised address that the armed group fired two ballistic missiles at Israel, one targeting a military base in the Israeli port city of Ashdod and one targeting Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. Sirens sounded in several areas throughout Israel. No Israeli casualties were reported and the occupation forces claimed to have intercepted the missiles prior to their entrance of Israeli airspace.
• On Saturday (April 19), Ansar Allah announced that its air defenses succeeded in shooting down an American MQ-9 drone while it was “carrying out hostile missions in the airspace of the Sana’a Governate.” The drone was shot down by a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile. At least six American drones have been shot down by Ansar Allah throughout the month of April.
• On Wednesday (April 23), Ansar Allah launched a ballistic missile towards northern Israel, triggering air raid sirens in Haifa, Krayot and other areas west of the Sea of Galilee. The Israeli military reported having intercepted the missile with no Israeli casualties taking place.

Photo: Al Qassam Brigades document the moment they destroy an Israeli tank in Gaza. Video grab via Palestine Chronicle.

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