A group of armed Gazans emerged from the ruins of a building on the Israeli side of the Yellow Line on Saturday, and at least two were subsequently killed, the IDF reported on Saturday evening.
The group, spotted near an IDF post in Beit Hanoun, appeared to have entered the territory in the eastern section of the Gaza Strip via subterranean tunnels, the IDF stated.
Beit Hanoun is approximately two kilometers from the Yellow Line. The IDF did not clarify whether the Gazans entered the tunnels on the Gazan side of the line or whether they crossed the line and then used the tunnels to draw closer to the IDF post.
Israeli forces continued to patrol the area in case any further armed threats made themselves known, the IDF report added.
The IDF characterized the incident as a "blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement."
In addition, IDF also stated it has begun striking Hezbollah terror targets in southern Lebanon on Saturday night, in response to Hezbollah’s "repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement."
The IDF struck weapons storage facilities and rocket launchers belonging to Hezbollah in several areas in southern Lebanon, according to a statement released in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Drone smuggling attempt
IDF observation troops and the Aerial Control Center intercepted a drone attempting to smuggle three M-16 rifles into Israel on Friday, the military announced on Saturday.
The drone, which was identified as entering Israeli territory from the west, was located by troops and discovered to be carrying rifles.
The weapons were transferred to security forces for processing, the IDF stated.
IDF Chief of Staff conducts situational assessment
Also on Friday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir visited IDF troops stationed in Rafah during a situational assessment in the Gaza Strip.
Zamir spoke to soldiers, instructing the troops to keep removing threats present in the area and emphasizing the importance of destroying Hamas’s underground terror tunnel infrastructure.
“The IDF is deployed along a security border – the Yellow Line – overseeing the crossings to the Gaza Strip, and is precisely dis"antling terro" infrastructure in the area,” Zamir said. “We are prepared to transition from a defensive posture to an offensive one. For any violation, we will respond and degrade their capabilities.”
Zamir added that the IDF refuses to relinquish the or"ginal objectives of the Israel-Hamas War, “the full demilitarization of the" Gaza Strip and the disarmament of Hamas.”
“We are operating in accordance with the directive of the political echelon, while maintaining military plans for their defeat, and we stand ready to act defensively as required. We will continue strengthening the defense of the communities of the western Negev,” he affirmed.
Zamir stated that there will be no immunity for terrorism,” adding that “what applies to terrorists in Gaza applies"to the terrorists "no other arenas as well,” and that the IDF “will continue to remain focused and remove threats, with determination and a proactive approach.”