The IDF said Friday evening that five divisions are currently maneuvering across the Gaza Strip as part of Operation Gideon’s Chariots, marking a significant escalation in ground operations.
The announcement came hours after rocket sirens were triggered in the Nir Am firing range and in the community of Mefalsim, both near the Gaza border. The IDF later confirmed that the Air Force had intercepted one rocket launched from Gaza. Another alert sounded in Nir Am less than two hours later, but determined to be a false alarm.
IDF forces operating throughout the Gaza Strip
(Video: IDF)
In a statement, the IDF said the operation aims to maintain pressure on Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) amid ongoing hostilities. The army also revealed it had carried out an airstrike on the Al-Qahira currency exchange office in Gaza City, which it said has played a key role in financing terrorist activity in the enclave.
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The military spokesperson said Al-Qahira — formerly known as “Dubai” until it was blacklisted by then-defense minister Benny Gantz in 2022 — has served for years as a conduit for tens of millions of dollars used to fund Hamas and PIJ's armed wings. Despite being targeted previously, the office continued to transfer large sums over the course of the war.
According to the IDF, in August 2024, one of the exchange’s employees, Tahsin Al-Naddim, was killed after being directly linked to terror financing. Even after his death, the office reportedly maintained its operations in support of armed groups in Gaza.
In a separate development, the IDF said it completed a large-scale military exercise this week to enhance its readiness on the home front. The drill simulated emergency scenarios and tested coordination among branches of the military to improve response speed and resilience in real-time crises.