From the Liveblog of
Monday, February 19, 2024
Israel has struck over 30,000 targets in Gaza and Lebanon since start of war, says IDF
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The Israeli Air Force says it has carried out strikes against more than 31,000 targets amid the ongoing war, mostly in the Gaza Strip, but also in Lebanon and other fronts, racking up over 186,000 flight hours.
In the Gaza Strip, the IAF has hit over 29,000 targets belonging to Hamas and other terror groups since October 7.
Some 7,000 of the strikes were immediate requests by ground forces amid the offensive against Hamas. The closest strike to troops was some 80 meters away during a clash between the 401st Armored Brigade and Hamas operatives on November 18.
In Lebanon, the IAF says, it has struck more than 1,000 Hezbollah sites and positions.
In the West Bank, some 30 airstrikes have been carried out against terror operatives, most of them amid counter-terrorism raids.
An unspecified number of strikes were also carried out by the IAF in Syria against Iranian activity and Iran’s proxy groups, as well as against the Syrian Army.
Of the strikes, 26,000 were carried out by fighter jets, 3,800 by attack helicopters, and 3,800 by drones.
The IAF’s helicopter array has also carried out some 500 medevacs from the Gaza Strip, taking more than 1,000 wounded troops to hospitals.
Also amid the war, the short-range Iron Dome air defense system has shot down thousands of rockets, the medium-range David’s Sling has downed dozens, and the long-range Arrow has intercepted six projectiles.
The IAF is also closing several of its aging Patriot batteries, and staff will be trained to operate on the Iron Dome instead. Israel plans to open new Iron Dome batteries, the first within several weeks.
