The Israeli military is still facing incursions at the Gaza Strip border after Hamas carried out its assaults 15 days ago, including with two terrorists being "neutralized" while trying to get into Israel to carry out even more attacks, Maj. Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, said on Newsmax Sunday.
"There have been a number of rocket attacks and mortar attacks," Spielman, who was at the border this past week, told Newsmax's "Sunday Report." "We are responding with a lot of force. We are targeting major operational centers in Gaza."
The Israeli military, he added, is "strongly in control" of the area, but "Hamas hasn't given up and turned into a peacekeeping force as they want to claim."
Meanwhile, Hezbollah is trying to pull Israel into a conflict in the north, and has shot a number of anti-tank weapons, but "we have sent a very clear message: If you strike, we're going to strike back very strong. Do not get involved. It's not worth your time," said Spielman.
Further, Israel is sending a message to the Lebanese government and people to "preserve whatever is left" of the nation's sovereignty.
"Do you really want to put your faith in terrorist organizations, either Hamas or Hezbollah?" he said.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military is preparing the groundwork for a ground mission into Gaza, and has been holding several reconnaissance missions to prepare for that area, said Spielman. The military is also looking for clues as to where hostages are being held, he said.
"We've also struck a lot of Hamas towers, underground networks, and areas that they may try to use to snipe at our forces, but there's still the existing issue, which is Hamas terrorism is not only directed towards Israel. It's directed towards their own citizens," he said. "They're still trying to keep them right there in the battlezone in contravention of international law."
He also said the alliance between the United States and Israel has never been stronger, considering the multiple threats his country is facing.
"There's no question we're a small country," he said. "We have an excellent army but those munitions are critical. You have constant mortar and rockets being fired from Gaza. You have to understand every single one of those is a potential threat to our population and shouldn't get through."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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