RT.com
08 Aug 2022, 16:13 GMT+10
The American leader has welcomed a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza militants
US President Joe Biden has commended the Israeli government for defending its people and saving "countless lives" during Operation Breaking Dawn against Gaza militants. Three days of tit-for-tat strikes left the leadership of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) decimated and dozens of Palestinians dead, before a shaky truce came into effect on Sunday night.
"My support for Israel's security is long-standing and unwavering - including its right to defend itself against attacks," the US leader said in a statement on Sunday night, as the ceasefire appeared to be holding despite a hectic start.
Just minutes after the truce went into effect at 11:30pm local time, several rockets were reportedly fired from Gaza and intercepted by the Israeli defenses. No one has taken responsibility for the attack and the IDF reported no strikes in response.
"Over these recent days, Israel has defended its people from indiscriminate rocket attacks launched by the terrorist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the United States is proud of our support for Israel's Iron-Dome, which intercepted hundreds of rockets and saved countless lives," Biden added.
According to Israeli defense officials, over the course of the conflict, PIJ militants launched over 850 rockets at Israel. The IDF says 97% of the projectiles were intercepted mid-air by the Iron Dome missile defense systems, while "120+ rockets landed in Gaza and killed innocent Palestinians."
Palestinian officials say that at least 41 people have been killed in Gaza since Friday - among them six children - while more than 265 have been wounded. Israel has denied responsibility for at least nine of these deaths, which the IDF blamed on a Palestinian rocket that fell short after launch.
Biden called reported civilian deaths in Gaza a "tragedy" and urged a "timely and thorough investigation." No casualties on the Israeli side have been reported.
The flare-up of tensions began last Monday, after Israel arrested Islamic Jihad's West Bank leader, Bassem Saadi. A Palestinian teenager was killed during the raid on Saadi's home. Amid an outcry among Palestinians, the PIJ threatened retaliation and placed its fighters in Gaza on high alert.
On Friday, the IDF launched Operation Breaking Dawn, citing the "imminent threat of attack against Israeli civilians posed by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization." The first strikes killed a senior PIJ commander, Taysir al-Jabari, and by Sunday "essentially, all of the senior officials of Gaza's Islamic Jihad have been eliminated," according to the Israeli military.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Orange County Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Orange County Sun.
More InformationChicago White Sox right-hander Liam Hendricks was placed on the active roster Monday and is set to make his return ...
tehran, iran - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Monday he would welcome a resumption of diplomatic relations with ...
Marcus Stroman tossed a one-hitter for his fourth career complete game to dominate the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Chicago ...
Cardinals All-Star Nolan Arenado opened the bottom of the eighth inning with a clean line-drive single into left field off ...
The Kansas City Royals are working on what would be the first combined perfect game in baseball history against the ...
The Dallas Wings look to get back on the winning track when they host the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday in ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: The White House announced this week that President Joe Biden has chosen US Air Force chief General Charles ...
GUAM: After Typhoon Mawar brought strong winds and torrential rains, large areas of the US Western Pacific territory of Guam ...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: In one of the largest known Chinese cyber-espionage campaigns against American critical infrastructure, a state-sponsored ...
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Sam Altman, CEO of ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, has said the company could consider leaving Europe if it could ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: Reuters has reported that US President Joe Biden's nominee for a federal judge position in Kansas, Jabari Wamble, ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: Jennifer Homendy, head of the US National Transportation Safety Board, has said the US will investigate recent near ...