Israeli Air Force Lashes Gaza in Airstrike Bombardment

In the days since Islamic militant group Hamas staged a multifront surprise attack, the Israeli Air Force says it has dropped 6,000 bombs.

Kimberly Johnson

Thursday, October 12, 2023 at 06:45 PM ET

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Dozens of fighter jets and helicopters attacked a series of terrorist targets of the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Air Force said Thursday. [Credit: IAF]

Key Takeaways:

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) is conducting extensive "retribution" airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, dropping thousands of bombs on declared Hamas targets after a recent attack.
These bombardments have caused widespread damage to densely populated urban areas in Gaza, impacting residential buildings and UN facilities.
Humanitarian groups and the UN Human Rights Office have called for a cease-fire due to concerns for civilians and urged adherence to international humanitarian law.
Despite prior reservist protests, the Israel Defense Forces confirm the IAF's full operational readiness for any scenario.

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The sky over Israel was filled with a near constant stream of warplanes flying combat sorties to the Gaza Strip on Thursday, as the country’s air force pilots and government focused on a singular mission: retribution.

The air campaign bombardment directed on the occupied Palestinian territory—one of the most densely populated areas in the world with a population of about 2.3 million in an area of about 141 square miles—prompted calls by humanitarian groups for a cease-fire to spare civilians.