The area leads to the Red Sea, Israel's southern port facilities and the Suez Canal, making it part of a strategic route for Gulf oil and natural gas shipments. Western warships are patrolling the area and have shot down Huthi missiles and drones several times
Hamas, which runs Gaza, said Sunday that Israel had launched a series of "very violent raids" targeting the southern city of Khan Yunis and the road from there to Rafah, near the border with Egypt.