Egypt Daily News – On Saturday, Israel’s radioreported that the Israeli army has deployed all its regular infantry and armored brigades into the Gaza Strip as part of an expanded ground assault. The Paratroopers Brigade was the last unit to enter, completing its deployment within the past 24 hours.
According to the broadcaster, current military operations are focused on two main axes: the northern part of Gaza, particularly around Jabalia refugee camp, and the Khan Younis area in the south. The Israeli army claims that Khan Younis has been declared a combat zone, asserting that civilians were evacuated from the area prior to the commencement of operations.
Reports indicate that the deployment of all regular brigades is a significant step in Israel’s ongoing ground assault, signaling an intensification of its military campaign in the Gaza Strip. In addition to the paratroopers, all other infantry and armored formations have now entered Gaza.
Military sources revealed that the Israeli army is engaged in fierce fighting in Khan Younis, attempting to dismantle what it describes as military infrastructure belonging to Hamas. The escalation comes amid growing speculation in Israeli political and military circles about an imminent large-scale offensive targeting remaining armed resistance, particularly in Rafah, seen by Israel as the last stronghold of Hamas’ central command.
In recent weeks, the Israeli military has been amassing forces on the outskirts of Rafah, despite international warnings about the severe humanitarian consequences of a broad ground invasion. These military movements are seen as part of Israel’s attempt to bring about what it calls the “decisive phase” of the war, especially as indirect ceasefire and prisoner exchange negotiations mediated by Egypt and Qatar continue to stall.
The full-scale deployment of regular brigades is widely viewed as a strong indication of the Israeli military’s intent to escalate its campaign, despite mounting international pressure and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which faces dire and catastrophic conditions.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Israeli military announced that its Southern Command forces continue to carry out operations “against Palestinian armed factions” across various parts of Gaza. The statement noted that, guided by military intelligence (Aman) and the Shin Bet internal security service, a projectile was fired toward population centers near Gaza on Friday, prompting the army to target and dismantle the launch site.
As part of Operation “Iron Swords,” the military said that in the past 24 hours, its forces engaged armed militants on the ground, dismantled booby-trapped military buildings, and targeted both above-ground and underground infrastructure belonging to armed groups. Anti-tank missile launchers were among the assets struck.
In parallel, the Israeli Air Force carried out airstrikes on over 100 targets across Gaza within the past day, including militant personnel, military facilities, underground tunnels, and other infrastructure used for militant activities.
The army concluded its statement by affirming that “operations will continue until any threat to Israeli civilians is eliminated.”
