(MENAFN) In a statement issued on Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced it had launched a significant wave of attacks against Hamas positions in the city of Rafah, located in the southern region of Gaza.

The strikes came in response to what the military described as repeated breaches of a previously established ceasefire agreement reached earlier this month.

As per the IDF, armed groups reportedly launched an anti-tank missile and opened fire at soldiers who were working to dismantle “terrorist infrastructure” in the area, claiming these operations were “in accordance with the ceasefire agreement.”

In retaliation, Israeli forces conducted several aerial assaults targeting what they referred to as terrorist-related sites.

“The IDF has begun striking in the area to eliminate the threat and dismantle tunnel shafts and military structures used for terrorist activity,” the military said in a formal release. It further alleged that similar assaults by suspected Hamas operatives had taken place on both Friday and Saturday.

“These terrorist actions constitute a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement, and the IDF will respond firmly.”

Quoting a military insider, a media outlet reported that over 20 targets had been hit since the suspected early-morning aggression in Rafah.

Following an update on the unfolding events, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed the IDF “to take firm action against terror targets in the Gaza Strip,” as detailed in a statement from his office.

Echoing this sentiment, Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a warning, stating that “Hamas will learn today the hard way that the IDF is determined to protect its soldiers and to prevent any harm to them.”

The military source reiterated that more than 20 Hamas-related sites had been attacked in response to the morning incident in Rafah.

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