The Israel Defense Forces on Friday confirmed for the first time that troops are operating in the center of Rafah, Hamas' last major bastion in the Gaza Strip.

Soldiers were conducting "precise" "intelligence-based" missions in the area, leading to the discovery of Hamas rocket launchers, explosive devices and tunnel shafts.

An IDF drone strike killed a member of Hamas' elite Nukhba Force, while soldiers destroyed a weapons depot used by the terror group.

Earlier this week, Israeli troops took "operational control" of the entire Philadelphi Corridor, the 8.7-mile-long border area between Gaza and Egypt.

"Hamas exploited the Philadelphi Corridor, using it to build this infrastructure just dozens of meters from the border with Egypt so that we would not strike them," said IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari on Wednesday.

He described the Philadelphi Corridor as Hamas' "lifeline," through which the terror group smuggled weapons and supplies into Gaza.

Israeli forces moved into eastern Rafah on May 6, taking operational control of the Gaza side of the Rafah Crossing and other key areas, including the section of the Salah al-Din Road that runs through the city. In the weeks since then, the operation has expanded into other areas.

Jerusalem insists that destroying the four Hamas terror battalions entrenched in Rafah is essential to winning the war.

This JNS.org report was republished with permission from Jewish News Syndicate.