Hezbollah fires over 100 rockets into Northern Israel via BICom

What happened: Hezbollah’s attacks on Northern Israel have continued in the last few days as the IDF resumes counter–terrorism operations in Gaza and the West Bank.

Northern Israel

• More than 100 rockets were fired from Lebanon at northern Israel on Wednesday, sparking fires and causing damage but causing no injuries. Iron Dome successfully intercepted some of the rockets, while others fell in open areas. Several fell in Kiryat Shmona causing fires.
• In response, the IDF struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.
• On Tuesday evening, Hezbollah rockets targeted Netua and Shtula in Northern Israel and a hostile UAV that approached Israel from the east was successfully intercepted.
• Intensified Hezbollah attacks over recent months has put under threat dozens of additional towns and thousands of Israeli citizens are seeking mental health support in designated centres. More than 70,000 Israeli citizens have been evacuated from their homes in Northern Israel since October 7th.

Gaza

• The IAF carried out an airstrike on a Hamas and Islamic Jihad Command Centre in the Gaza humanitarian area of Deir al-Balah.
• On Tuesday, the IDF and Shin Bet killed the Nukhba commander (of the military wing of Hamas) who commanded the massacre in the Netiv HaAsara community on October 7th.
• The IAF also carried out a precision strike on Hamas terrorists who were operating inside a command and control centre embedded inside a compound that previously served as the Numaa College in Gaza City.
• Yesterday, more than 200 terrorists were killed in the Tel al-Sultan Area in Rafah. Large Quantities of weapons were located inside a basement where Hamas operatives were embedded.
• Also yesterday, the tunnel from which the bodies of the six hostages were recovered from was located. Around the tunnel shaft was a children’s play area, which included stuffed animals and wall art of cartoon characters.
• IDF troops and the Shin Bet located the shaft leading to the tunnel in an area surrounded by Hamas operatives and extensively booby-trapped, in a further example of how Hamas abuses civilian areas to hold hostages and carry out its activities.
• The Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) reported that the second stage of the polio vaccination campaign will begin today, with medical teams vaccinating children in South Gaza.
• Yesterday, a total of 28,004 children were vaccinated, and 189,033 children have been vaccinated in total in central Gaza. This number exceeded the expected number of vaccinations in the area.
• COGAT also reported that 222 trucks carrying humanitarian goods were transferred to Gaza yesterday: 52 via Erez and 170 via Kerem Shalom.

West Bank

• During IDF counterterrorism activity carried out yesterday in the area of Far’a in the Jordan Valley, an IAF aircraft struck a terrorist cell that fired at the soldiers. In the area of Tulkarm, IDF soldiers killed two armed terrorists during exchanges of fire.
• A drone attacked a car in Tubas and killed five terrorists who posed an imminent threat. One of those killed was Muhammad Zubeidi, the son of Zakaria Zubeidi, who had been formerly jailed inside Israel for security related offences.
• The soldiers also located an explosive inside a baby pushchair. During the operation, an explosives laboratory was demolished, as well as several improvised explosive devices and materials to create explosives.

Context: Whilst IDF operations continue in the north, south and centre, public protests are exerting pressure on the government to conclude a deal to release the hostages.

• Thousands of people demonstrated throughout the day yesterday across Israel.
• The largest demonstration was held outside the Defence Ministry in Tel Aviv, but other protests were held outside Likud headquarters and outside the homes of coalition MKs and ministers.
• In what is broadly perceived as a bid to spur additional public pressure on the Israeli government, Hamas released a video of Carmel Gat, one of the six Israeli hostages who were executed last week by Hamas.
• Ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have continued to put pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu to refrain from making what they consider to be unacceptable concessions in a ceasefire/hostage deal with Hamas.
• One of the main obstacles to secure a cease fire with Hamas remains the Philadelphi Corridor. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on maintaining troops along the border with Egypt so as to prevent it being used as a supply line for Hamas.
• The US Department of Justice has charged Hamas leaders over the October 7th attack. The US filed the claim against the terrorist organisation leaders: Ismail Haniyeh (now deceased), Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif (now deceased), Marwan Issa (now deceased), Khaled Meshaal, and Ali Baraka. The claim consists of various charges including, conspiracy to murder US nationals, conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, and conspiracy to finance terrorism. This is a significant step in the public prosecution of Hamas.
• In what appears to be the latest example of attacks against an Israeli target abroad, a shooting attack took place today, near the Israeli Consulate in Munich, on the 52nd anniversary of the Sept. 5 1972 Munich Olympics terror attack.

Looking ahead: While the prospects of a hostage deal remain unclear, the families of American hostages being held by Hamas have pressed the White House to consider cutting a unilateral deal with the terrorist organisation to secure their loved ones’ release, and the option is currently under discussion within the Biden administration.

• Some senior administration officials strongly oppose this, and President Biden has opted to continue to try to reach a broader deal that includes Israel and ultimately outlines a path to end the conflict.
• Israel remains on alert for the prospect of an Iranian attack although Iranian regime sources indicate there will likely be a further delay in a retaliatory strike on Israel until the ongoing ceasefire-hostage negotiations conclude.