With the direction of IDF intelligence, the IAF on Wednesday struck and dismantled a loaded launcher located in the humanitarian area in the southern Gaza Strip.

The launcher was aimed toward Israeli territory and posed an imminent and immediate threat to Israeli civilians, said the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.

Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including issuing numerous advance warnings to the civilian population in the area to evacuate, as well as the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, it added.

Secondary explosions were identified following the strike, indicating that there was a large amount of weaponry at the launch site.

“The terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip continue to systematically abuse the humanitarian area and civilian infrastructure to carry out terrorist activities and attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops. The IDF will continue to operate against the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip in defense of the State of Israel,” said the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.