Several Israeli tanks have reportedly reached Rafah city center on Tuesday, eyewitnesses told Reuters.
The tanks were spotted near Al-Awda mosque, a central Rafah landmark, the witnesses said.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on this development, saying it would issue a statement about the Rafah operation later.
This report comes as IDF troops continued to operate in the Rafah area overnight. IDF soldiers operated along the Philadelphi Corridor while conducting precise operations based on intelligence indicating terror targets.
KAN reported that four IDF brigades operated in Rafah in the past day and began expanding the ground maneuver into new areas, including central Rafah. These include the 401st Armored Brigade, the Nahal Brigade, the 12th Brigade, and the Bislach Brigade that entered Rafah overnight.
This news follows extensive reports that the IDF succeeded in evacuating around 950,000 Palestinian civilians in only two weeks since May 6.
Around 30-40% of Rafah is now under IDF control, not merely a small portion of the eastern sector, and about 60-70% of Rafah has been completely evacuated.
The Jerusalem Post contacted the IDF for comments, but they declined to comment at this time. They acknowledged the reports made by Reuters.