Israel targets Islamic Jihad center in Rafah, commander killed

The Palestinian Health Ministry said well over 80 people were also injured in the attack in Rafah on Friday.

The resistance movement confirmed in a statement that one of its commanders, Tayseer al-Jabari, was killed in the strike.

Secretary-General of the Islamic Jihad Ziyad al-Nakhalah said the Israeli enemy must expect a "non-stop" confrontation in the wake of the Friday aggression.

There will be no truce following this attack, the Islamic Jihad official said. All resistance groups must struggle under one flag in this fight, Nakhalah said.

Israeli adventures will not go unanswered, he said, adding that the Zionist enemy bears full responsibility for the airstrike.

All Israeli cities could be in the cross hairs of resistance fighters, he added.

"We will sacrifice our blood and our weapons and we will not hesitate for a moment to respond to this aggression."

Zionist forces recently arrested Bassam al-Saadi, a senior figure of the Islamic Jihad, in a raid in Jenin. Soon after the arrest, Israeli authorities announced the closure of crossings at the Israeli fence separating Gaza from the occupied territories.

Observers say Friday's airstrike will likely cause a broader military escalation.

The Israeli military has ordered an emergency in all cities and towns within 50 miles of the border with Gaza. The regime says resistance rockets will likely be launched against targets in the occupied territories.

Meanwhile, Nakhalah said the situation in Gaza was reminiscent of the days of Saif al-Quds Operation. He was referring to the last military confrontation between Palestinian resistance forces and the Israeli regime in 2021.

In May that year, frequent acts of violence against Palestinian worshipers at Al-Aqsa Mosque led to an 11-day war, during which the regime killed at least 260 Palestinians, including 66 children.