The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas resistance movement, announced in a statement, at dawn today, that the resistance's air defenses intercepted Israeli occupation aircraft targeting the Gaza Strip with surface-to-air missiles and also fired surface-to-surface missiles.

Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that the Israeli air raids targeted resistance sites in the central Gaza Strip, noting that the Palestinian Resistance responded by deploying its air defense systems against the Israeli warplanes violating the Gaza airspace, using SAMs to intercept the hostile aircraft.

The occupation forces launched a series of raids in Gaza hours after Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for an urgent security meeting, following the occupation's announcement of intercepting a missile fired from Gaza.

العدوان الإسرائيلي على غزة 🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/ulAMJLYTDD

— غزة الآن - Gaza Now (@GazaNownews) February 2, 2023

Hazem Qassem: Extremist occupation government opens the door to escalation

Hamas' spokesperson Hazem Qassem said that the Zionist occupation's raids on Gaza are an example of the cycle of aggression waged against the Palestinian people and their land.

Qassem added that "the presence of the far-right Israeli government and its extremist policies opens the door for escalation." He also lauded the Al-Qassam Brigades' heroism in confronting the occupation's aggression and the bombing of the Strip.

"Al-Qassam Brigades will remain the people's shield and sword." 

Al-Mujahideen Brigades: We targeted the Israeli "Nahal Oz" military site

For its part, the Al-Mujahideen Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement, announced in a statement that the Zionist aircraft were confronted with surface-to-air missiles and the "Nahal Oz" military site was targeted with heavy weapons.

The brigades affirmed that the resistance fighters will be on the lookout, and will be fully prepared to confront any aggression against the Palestinians.

In the same context, Israeli media reported that occupation forces arrested 17 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank last night.