Israeli warplanes and drones carried out a series of strikes across western Gaza City on Tuesday morning during an unusual security incident that Palestinian sources said was linked to an attempt to target a senior official in Gaza’s Internal Security Service.

Heavy explosions and automatic gunfire were reported around the al-Katiba area and south of the Shati refugee camp shortly before 11am local time on 1 September, accompanied by intensive Israeli drone activity and low-flying warplanes.

Al Jazeera reported at least 10 explosions from Israeli drone strikes around al-Katiba. A source at al-Shifa Hospital told the network that at least one Palestinian had been killed and others wounded by Israeli drone fire.

The final casualty toll remained unclear during the initial hours of the incident. Local reports initially said three bodies had been recovered, while medical crews were reportedly unable to reach some casualties because of continuing strikes and gunfire.

Gazatte could not independently verify the higher casualty figure.

The circumstances that triggered the bombardment also remained unclear.

A Palestinian security source quoted by Al Araby TV said an armed group arrived in the al-Katiba area and opened fire on two people in what the source described as an attempted assassination.

The source identified the intended target as an official in Gaza’s Internal Security Service.

The same source alleged that Israeli forces subsequently struck civilian vehicles to provide cover for members of the armed group as they attempted to withdraw.

No independent evidence establishing the identity of all members of the group or confirming their affiliation had been made public by the time of publication.

Separately, Palestinian media cited reports that an Israeli special force had entered an area in western Gaza City before heavy exchanges of fire erupted after the group was discovered.

Local Palestinian accounts circulated photographs and videos said to show ammunition left behind at the scene, as well as a weapon allegedly seized from members of the group.

Gazatte could not independently authenticate the material or establish when and where each photograph and video was recorded.

Israeli strikes continued during the incident, with attacks reported around al-Katiba and elsewhere in western Gaza City.

Quadcopter drones were also reported firing in areas around the universities, while witnesses described Israeli warplanes flying at extremely low altitude over the city.

Other strikes were reported near al-Jalaa Street and against two vehicles close to the Napoletana restaurant in western Gaza City.

Medical casualties were reported towards al-Shifa Medical Complex and a field hospital, while local sources said emergency crews were unable to reach some people because the area had become an active combat zone.

Reports also emerged of significant disruption to telecommunications networks across Gaza City during the incident.

By around 11:20am, local sources reported that relative calm had returned to the immediate area, although the exact nature of the operation had still not been established.

Israel’s Kan public broadcaster was cited shortly afterwards as saying the Israeli military had not yet issued any comment on the strikes in western Gaza City.

No detailed Israeli military account of the reported covert operation had been issued during the initial hours of reporting.

Palestinian security sources later described the incident as an attempted assassination targeting an Internal Security Service official, but further details — including the identity and condition of the intended target, the affiliation of the armed group and whether its members successfully withdrew — remained unconfirmed.

Gazatte is continuing to treat those details as preliminary pending official statements and further independent verification.

UPDATE — Israeli military issues statement

The Israeli military has issued its first statement following the unusual security incident in western Gaza City.

“Israeli military forces recently struck a number of targets in the Gaza Strip in order to remove threats directed at security forces,” the military said, adding that none of its soldiers had been wounded.

The statement did not address Palestinian reports that an armed group had attempted to target a senior official in Gaza’s Internal Security Service.

An Israeli source also drew attention to the wording of the military’s statement, noting that it neither confirmed nor denied whether the forces involved in the reported operation were Israeli.

The circumstances of the incident and the identity of the armed group therefore remain unconfirmed.