IDF claims its forces have taken control of the Rafah border crossing
Israeli armored forces took control of the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, the Israel Defense Forces said, in what it called a “precise counterterrorism operation.”
“Following intelligence that indicated that the Rafah crossing in eastern Rafah was being used for terrorist purposes, IDF troops were able to establish operational control of the Gaza side of the crossing,” the IDF said in a statement.
The IDF did not provide evidence to immediately support the claim, although it claimed that the area around the pass had been used to launch a mortar attack that killed four Israeli soldiers over the weekend.
It added that ground troops and airstrikes also targeted suspected Hamas positions in Rafah as part of the operation. “IDF ground troops continue to operate against terrorist operatives and Hamas infrastructure in the Rafah Crossing area in eastern Rafah,” the IDF said.
The Israeli army had previously warned people east of Rafah to evacuate to what it said was an expanded humanitarian zone.
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
