Palestinian Resistance factions affirmed in a joint statement that the Resistance is all geared up for any plausible scenario in the ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip, including a ground invasion of Rafah, the southernmost city in the besieged territory.
In a statement on Wednesday, the factions emphasized that they “will not sit idly by,” as “all options (for escalation) are on the table,” warning against the catastrophic and humanitarian consequences of any ground aggression on Rafah, which hosts more than 1.4 million displaced Palestinians.
The Palestinian factions held US President Joe Biden’s administration and Western governments fully responsible for any invasion of Rafah, as Western backing to the Zionist entity is ongoing despite the occupation’s violation of multiple international conventions and laws.
In the same context, the factions called on the Palestinian masses in the cities of the West Bank to “rise vehemently” in protest against Zionst threats of invading Rafah.
“We call on our people to turn the West Bank into a fireball in the face of Zionist settlers and soldiers,” the statement urged.
Furthermore, the Palestinian factions affirmed that the genocidal war would not restore the defeated military of the occupation.
They also warned of “a comprehensive escalation and explosion that will affect the region and threaten its national security, especially Egyptian national security,” in case an invasion into Rafah, which borders Egypt, is launched.
On the same issue, Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’ Political Bureau, affirmed that “Washington’s stance [on the issue] is deceptive” and that Palestinians “have not fallen into the trap of” the American and Zionist good cop bad cop act.
Haniyeh stressed, in an interview for the Turkish Anadolu Agency on April 21, that “if the enemy decides to go to Rafah, our people will not raise the white flag, and the resistance is ready to defend itself.”
Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, confirmed Wednesday that its Resistance fighters targeted occupation forces in the Netzarim axis with heavy mortar shells.
This comes as the Palestinian Resistance continues to remain active on the ground and carry out operations against the occupation forces, after more than 200 days since the start of Operation al-Aqsa Flood.
Al-Qassam also said that it targeted the invading forces east of Juhr al-Deek in central Gaza with mortar shells.
Meanwhile, al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement, released footage of its fighters launching rockets toward Sderot, Nir Am, and Gaza Envelope settlements.
On its part, al-Mujahideen Brigades confirmed targeting the Be’eri and Nahal Oz settlements and the Gaza border with a rocket barrage in response to the occupation’s crimes.
Earlier, fierce confrontations erupted between the Palestinian Resistance and occupation forces north of the al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, which prompted the occupation forces to call for a military helicopter to open fire on the area.
The spokesperson for Martyr Omar al-Qassem Forces – the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), Abu Khaled, announced that the Forces targeted military assemblies near the Turkish Hospital in central Gaza with heavy mortar shells, inflicting losses on the occupation forces.
Abu Khaled confirmed that the Resistance fighters shot down and captured a quadcopter east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City.
Furthermore, he affirmed that the Forces, along with al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, targeted the Zikim military base with 107mm rockets, hitting their targets and causing casualties and equipment losses among the occupation forces.
Abu Khaled also confirmed that the Resistance targeted the Nir’am settlement with a heavy-caliber rocket, inflicting damage to the settlement.
Hezbollah releases detailed account of 200 days of action
The Resistance in Lebanon – Hezbollah has released a detailed information graphic of its operations against Israeli occupation forces in 200 days since October 8, 2023.
In total, Hezbollah fighters conducted 1,650 operations, targeting occupation forces in occupied Palestine and Israeli-occupied Lebanese and Syrian territories.
How many times did Hezbollah target Israeli sites and objects?
In terms of the targets of Hezbollah’s attacks, the Resistance conducted:
- 55 attacks on rear military sites
- 1,112 attacks on border sites
- 176 attacks on border points
- 70 attacks on military bases
- 51 attacks on aerial objects and aircraft
- 186 attacks on settlements
It is worth noting that the targets may not necessarily be distinct, but the attacks account for multiple or distinct attacks on every Israeli site or object.
How many times did Hezbollah fire its weapons?
The Islamic Resistance revealed the number of times it launched or fired specific types of equipment and weapons, including:
- 77 sniper or automatic weapons
- 727 ground-to-ground rocket and missile systems
- 352 artillery pieces
- 546 anti-tank guided missile systems
- 55 drone attacks
- 50 air defense systems
- 17 explosive devices
- 136 direct attack weapons
Destroyed occupation targets
Hezbollah also released precise numbers of military equipment and vehicle losses incurred by the occupation during these attacks, including:
- 722 settlers housing units
- 338 technical equipment pieces
- 344 fortifications and bunkers
- 33 artillery positions
- 67 command posts
- 92 military vehicles
- 5 Iron Dome batteries
- 2 military-industrial complexes
- 5 military drones
What losses did the occupation incur?
Occupation forces incurred 2,000 personnel losses, comprising killed or injured soldiers and officers.
As for the occupation’s colonial settlers, 230,000 were evacuated from settlements. This phenomenon has affected settlements located anywhere in the area 5 km deep from the line of withdrawal from Lebanon.
The farthest Hezbollah attack was at least 15 km deep into occupied territories.
Zionist reserve officer admits Hezbollah clocked in a tremendous achievement
In the context of Hezbollah’s continued operations, Kobi Marom, a reserve Colonel, said that northern occupied territories are experiencing “strategic dilemmas”, adding that the Resistance has achieved a “tremendous” goal in terms of affecting societal consciousness among the Zionist community. Marom highlighted in this context the latest drone attack that targeted a base in occupied Akka and the direct attacks on the “Avivim” settlement.
The remarks were made during an interview for occupation broadcaster Channel 12, in which the reserve Colonel said that the occupation’s military operations and attacks are failing to “achieve strategic goals.”
“Despite 7 months passing since the war started, how has the Zionist army not destroyed Hezbollah’s infrastructure?”
Marom said that the settler communities are falling apart, as the heads of representative councils have been forced to “beg” the Finance Minister for funds.
To conclude, Marom stressed that considering all the previously mentioned issues, the occupation has “lost the war.”
Yemeni Armed Forces launch significant attacks
The Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) announced another series of operations in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Indian Ocean, targeting Zionist-affiliated ships and American warships in the aforementioned waterways, the spokesperson for the YAF, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announced on Tuesday night.
The YAF targeted the US-flagged MAERSK YORKTOWN container ship in the Gulf of Aden with several anti-ship missiles, which dealt direct hits to their target. The last updated position of the ship was in the Arabian Sea, 16 hours ago, according to maritime tracking websites.
Saree also announced in his statement that the Yemeni Unmanned Air Force executed two operations, the first targeted a US warship in the Gulf of Aden while the other targeted a Zionist ship in the Pacific Ocean.
The Zionist ship was identified as the MSC VERACRUZ, which last updated its position nine days ago near South Africa, on the Cape of Good Hope route. The Yemeni Armed Forces had previously pledged to cut off the pre-Suez Canal route for Israeli-affiliated ships.
Saree underlined that the operations of the Unmanned Air Force achieved their set objectives.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces will continue to take further military measures against all hostile targets in the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean in defense of dear Yemen and in confirmation of the position of support for the oppressed Palestinian people,” Saree emphasized.
Yemen’s intent to cut off Israeli shipping routes proves impossible to counter
Earlier on April 10, 2024, the YAF announced that it executed four operations in the Gulf of Aden as a response to ongoing aggression against the Yemeni people and in solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza.
The Yemeni Armed Forces on the first day of Eid al-Fitr targeted several vessels, including ones belonging to the occupation and the United States.
The naval forces “successfully, with the help of Allah Almighty, executed the operations, aiming at disrupting maritime activities in the region and sending a clear message to the aggressors.”
Two Zionist vessels, identified as the MSC DARWIN and the MSC GINA, bore the brunt of the Yemeni strikes, indicating a deliberate targeting of vessels linked to Zionist interests. Additionally, the American ship MAERSK YORKTOWN found itself under fire in the Gulf of Aden after clear warnings against such vessels crossing through the body of water.
Further intensifying their actions, Yemeni forces engaged a US warship in the Gulf of Aden deploying several drones in the operation. The Yemeni Armed Forces disclosed that the vessels were targeted utilizing a combination of anti-ship missiles and drones.
The Yemeni Armed Forces’ support for the Palestinian people has been ongoing since November 2023, as the Yemeni people and the Ansar Allah movement insist on supporting the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.