Tel Aviv, April 18: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out aerial strikes in the Rafah area during the early hours of Thursday. According to Israeli and Arabic media, many were feared dead and several were injured in the attack.

Since Iran carried out missile and drone attacks on Israel, the IDF has upped its ante against the Hamas and Hezbollah militants. On Wednesday, the IDF carried out an aerial attack in which seven people were killed. Israel-Palestine Conflict: Time To Negotiate With Hamas on Hostage Exchange, Says Israeli Major General Noam Tibon.

The allies of Israel, including the US, the UK and France had requested Israel not to attack the Rafah region as the population density in the region is high. An estimated 1.3 million people are living in the region and any attack to flush out militants could lead to heavy civilian casualties. Israel-Hamas War: Palestinian Death Toll in Gaza Rises to 33,686, Says Health Ministry.

While Israel has produced an evacuation plan for the civilians in the region, the US was not satisfied with the plan. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi had expressed his concern about a probable Israel attack on the Rafah region to the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his last visit to the Middle East.

President Sisi had informed Blinken that any attack on Rafah would lead to an unprecedented exodus of refugees to the Sinai region of Egypt that shares the border with Rafah region.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 18, 2024 10:31 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).