Israel's government says it has responded to attacks against its troops by Hamas militants in southern Gaza, in a sudden escalation of violence that threatens to derail a fragile ceasefire that has been in effect for less than a week.

The Israel Defense Forces said Sunday that "terrorists" had attacked Israeli troops operating in the Rafah area with gunfire and an anti-tank missile.

In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "directed that strong action be taken against terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip," his office said in a post on X .

The IDF said it struck the area to respond to the attacks and also to dismantle tunnel shafts and other structures used by Hamas, calling the violence against its troops a "blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement."

The IDF

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