IDF Calls for Khan Yunis Evacuation as Gaza Operation Expands

As part of its ongoing campaign to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has called on residents of Khan Yunis and surrounding areas to evacuate westward. The directive was issued Monday by IDF Arabic spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee, ahead of a renewed military thrust against terror groups embedded in the southern Gaza region.

The evacuation notice comes as Israel intensifies air and ground operations under the banner of Operation “Gideon’s Chariots,” a broad campaign targeting Hamas and affiliated terrorist factions. Strikes were reported across Gaza from Gaza City in the north to Deir al-Balah, Bani Suhelia, and south of Nuseirat in a sustained effort to eliminate threats to Israeli civilians.

Early Monday, Israeli forces attempted to arrest Ahmed Sarhan, a senior figure in the Al-Nasser Salah al-Din Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees. Sarhan, believed to have played a key role in terrorist intelligence gathering, was reportedly killed during the operation. His death marks a significant blow to the third-largest terror group operating in Gaza.

Despite intensifying operations, the IDF emphasized that the situational assessment on the ground has not changed. “The IDF is in the midst of Operation 'Gideon’s Chariots' and is operating throughout the Gaza Strip,” a statement clarified, rejecting claims of any strategic shift.

In recent days, more than 400,000 Palestinians have fled from northern Gaza toward the south. The ongoing airstrikes, particularly in Khan Yunis, have been relentless, aimed at neutralizing terror cells while seeking to avoid civilian casualties through advance warnings and evacuation directives.

In another development, the IDF confirmed that its elite Combat Engineering Yahalom Unit successfully destroyed the tunnel used in the deadly May attack that claimed the lives of Captain Noam Ravid and Staff Sergeant Yaly Seror in Rafah. The destruction of the tunnel underscores Israel’s commitment to holding terror operatives accountable and preventing future attacks.

The current military campaign is a continuation of Israel’s longstanding mission: to secure its borders, protect its citizens, and dismantle the terror networks that jeopardize regional peace. Every operation is a step toward restoring stability and ensuring that Israeli communities, from the south to the north, can live in peace and security.

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