Israel's Prime Minister Holds Security Council on Gaza Strip Border Situation

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid held a meeting with heads of security agencies on Friday to assess the security situation near Gaza Strip as the sides continue to exchange airstrikes after the start of an Israeli counterterrorist operation.

Earlier in the day, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched the operation dubbed Breaking Dawn against Palestinian movement Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip and carried out missile strikes, killing ten people and injuring over 50, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Following the airstrikes, Ziyad Nakhalah, the leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, threatened to retaliate by launching a missile attack on Tel Aviv.

"Prime Minister Yair Lapid, this morning held a security assessment on the situation in the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip," the office said on the website.

Israeli Alternate Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, National Security Council Director Eyal Hulata, Israel Securities Authority Director Ronen Bar, Prime Minister's Military Secretary, Maj. Gen. Avi Gil, and other senior officials took part in the assessment.

"The security and quality-of-life of the residents of the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip are our top priority. We are working to return the residents of southern Israel to their daily routine as quickly as possible. This is our responsibility," the office quoted Lapid as saying after the meeting.

The office noted that similar security meetings would follow over the weekend should the necessity arise.