What’s happened: Hamas announced that Yahya Sinwar, one of the masterminds behind the deadly October 7th attack, was selected as the next leader of Hamas, replacing Ismail Haniyeh.
- IDF operations inside Gaza remain ongoing. On Tuesday the IDF announced they killed the Hamas commander responsible for weapons smuggling. According to the IDF Mohammed Mahasneh, was “primarily involved in smuggling operations at sea, but also operated to smuggle equipment through tunnels and border crossings. His elimination significantly degrades the capabilities of the Hamas terrorist organisation to smuggle equipment into the Gaza Strip.”
- Also in the Rafah area, the IDF said, “troops eliminated more than 25 terrorists. As part of IDF operational activity, the troops eliminated approximately ten terrorists who posed a threat to them, and the IAF struck multiple terror targets in the area. Additionally, an anti-tank missile was shot toward the troops.”
- In one incident an anti-tank missiles was fired at IDF troops, injuring several soldiers. The incident took place in eastern Rafah, adjacent to the Humanitarian Route.
- Despite IDF progress, rockets were once more launched from northern Gaza toward Sderot and Ashkelon.
- President Herzog visited the Kerem Shalom Crossing on Tuesday that continues to serve as the main artery for supplies of Humanitarian Aid to the people of Gaza. Herzog noted, “We saw materials en-route to build one of 3 new field hospitals, in addition to the 11 already established all across the Gaza Strip – while Hamas used the previous hospitals as a base for terror, and to hold captive our hostages.”
- He added, “The new medical facilities are part of a huge effort in conjunction with international NGOs and the Israeli authorities to bring this aid to the civilians in Gaza. It all depends now on the ability of international organizations to deliver the aid in Gaza itself, and of course to prevent looting by Hamas terrorists who are trying to stop these deliveries.”
- A total of 274 trucks carrying humanitarian goods were transferred to Gaza on Tuesday. According to COGAT there are about 600 trucks worth waiting to be collected from the Gazan side of Kerem Shalom crossing.
- In the north there have been ongoing alerts across northern Israel, with Hezbollah launching dozens of drones and rockets.
- Although most were successfully intercepted one drone landed on a motorway in the Nahariya area, 18 people were injured, including one person in critical condition.
- Hezbollah’s Secretary General Nasrallah spoke, last night, marking a week since Israel killed the senior Hezbollah commander Shukr in Beirut. Nasrallah claimed that, “Israel’s waiting is part of our response.” He said the response to Shukr’s death would come “perhaps separately, or perhaps with the entire axis together.”
- As part of ongoing psychological warfare Israeli Air Force jets carried out loud sonic booms over Beirut during Nasrallah’s speech.
Context: Tensions in Israel remain high ahead of anticipated attack by Iran, that could include Hezbollah and other Iranian regional proxies in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
- Israel is making preparations for active defence but also to have an offensive plan in place.
- There is a debate whether an offensive response should be immediate following the launch of an Iranian attack or whether it should be assessed and calibrate according to the damage caused.
- Israel’s Defence Minister Gallant has continued to coordinate Israel’s defensive posture with allies including the US and UK, earlier this week he hosted US CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, in Israel for his ninth visit since October.
- Minister Gallant commented that the visit at this time, “is a direct translation of US support for Israel into action. The relationship between Israel and the United States is unshakeable.
- On Friday Gallant hosted UK Secretary of Defence Healey visited Israel, according to the Israeli MOD, “they discussed the important defence ties between Israel and the UK, and their shared commitment to maintaining and further strengthening cooperation in a number of strategic and military areas, including the field of intelligence.”
- They also discussed, “the IDF’s readiness and capabilities to defend Israel on all fronts, and emphasised the importance of establishing a coalition in Israel’s defence against Iran and its proxies.”
- Sinwar’s appointment places the entire terror organisation under his leadership and is thought to reinforce Hamas’s connection with Iran and their axis. Whist other potential candidates were closer to Qatar.
- The complexity and duplicity of the Qatari role is further highlighted this week. Whilst the head of US CENTCOM coordinates a united response to an attack from Iran on Israel from Qatar at the same time Qatar hosted the funeral of Hamas leader Haniyeh.
Looking ahead: Israel remains on a high state of alert ahead of an anticipated attack from Iran and its regional proxies.
- Various local authorities, including in Haifa are implementing contingency plans to cope with the potential for a substantial attack.