Streaks of light are seen from Ashkelon as Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, May 15, 2021. Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen

i24 News – As the latest round of violence between Hamas and Israel appears to be winding down, the Israeli military has cautioned that the terrorist group might attempt to secure a “major success” to hold up as a victory.

A senior officer in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Southern Command said late Wednesday that a “cross-border attack or some other major assault” is likely.

In the officer’s assessment, the military’s intelligence capabilities would prevent the terror group from conducting a large invasion into Israel, but acknowledged that a smaller operation was possible, according to the Times of Israel.

While he said he did not think that Hamas would attempt a significant ground operation, he did not discount the possibility that Gaza’s rulers might launch a large barrage toward Tel Aviv.

According to IDF Military Intelligence, the terrorist group has at least enough long-range munitions to conduct several more barrages of dozens of rockets at Tel Aviv, reported the Times of Israel.

The warning came as intense international pressure has been applied to Israel to bring the current 11-day conflagration to a close.

US President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken each spoke with their Israeli counterparts — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister and Alternate Prime Minster Benny Gantz, and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi — on Wednesday.

President Biden called for a “significant de-escalation” and said he expected movement toward a ceasefire, a message repeated by others within his administration. However, Netanyahu seemed to rebuff the president, saying that Israel would cease its operations when calm had been restored.