Planes from the Israeli Air Force, which struck seven terror sites in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday in response to rockets fired at southern Israel. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) official said that the military’s current air force campaign against Gaza in just more than a day and a half has surpassed the IDF’s eight-day long Operation Pillar of Defense in November 2012.

“Hamas has been surprised by Israel’s response,” an IDF source told the Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.

“We systematically struck operational infrastructure, where Hamas commanders operate. In the past 36 hours we destroyed more than what was destroyed during all of Operation Pillar of Defense, and many targets were areas where senior Hamas commanders operate,” the source said, adding that “not a single Hamas brigade commander has a home to go back to.”

Overall, the massive bombing campaign on Gaza has included the firing of 400 tons of explosives. The IDF has been distributing leaflets in Gaza as well as making phone calls to Gaza residents to evacuate buildings before they are targeted, in addition to firing warning shots at buildings to encourage civilians to flee.