Israeli helicopters rescue dead and wounded soldiers. (Photo: video grab)
Israeli forces suffered heavy casualties during a fresh Palestinian resistance operation in Khan Yunis, prompting emergency evacuations and intense Israeli airstrikes on the area.
Israeli evacuation helicopters landed east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, following reports of a fresh Palestinian resistance operation targeting occupation forces in the area, Al-Jazeera reported.
Israeli media described the incident as a “difficult security event” in Khan Yunis—a term commonly used to describe attacks on Israeli military forces.
Helicopters were reportedly dispatched to evacuate wounded soldiers to Soroka Hospital in Beersheba under heavy military protection.
Additional Israeli reports confirmed that some of the wounded, including soldiers in critical condition, were transported to a hospital in Ashdod, near the Gaza Strip.
Footage circulated by Israeli websites showed injured soldiers arriving at Assuta Hospital in Ashdod.
A new video statement by Abu Obeida, the military spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, was aired on Thursday by Al-Jazeera. This marks his first public address since March 6, delivered amid the ongoing Israeli genocidal war on Gaza. pic.twitter.com/faXfwOaCS0
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) July 18, 2025
Meanwhile, Al-Aqsa TV said that Israeli warplanes carried out intense airstrikes on the area east of Khan Yunis, where the soldiers were reportedly targeted.
In recent weeks, Palestinian resistance operations have escalated in Khan Yunis, particularly in the eastern district of Abasan, resulting in numerous Israeli military casualties.
Both the Qassam Brigades and the Al-Quds Brigades have claimed responsibility for several attacks in the area, including detonating booby-trapped vehicles and homes and attempting to capture Israeli soldiers.
In a video statement released Friday—his first since March—Abu Obeida, the Qassam Brigades’ military spokesperson, said the group had adopted a strategy focused on inflicting maximum casualties on Israeli forces, carrying out precision operations, and attempting to capture soldiers.
(PC, AJA)