BICOM Background Briefing: IDF completes West Bank operation via BICom

Hezbollah strikes northern city

The North: Hezbollah targeted the northern Israeli city of Nahariya with explosive-laden suicide drones which struck and caused damage to two apartments in a high-rise residential building. No injuries were reported.

• The IDF says that two drones were launched in the attack, of which only one impacted. Hezbollah later took responsibility, claiming that they were targeting a nearby military base rather than civilian population centre, and that it was in response to Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon.
• The IDF’s Chief of Staff, Halevi, referred to the attack as a “serious incident”, adding that the “IDF operates strongly in the north, and is at a high level of readiness with prepared operational plans, ready for any mission that will be required.”
• Elsewhere in the Galilee, two IDF soldiers were injured by three explosive-laden suicide drones impacting near Shlomi, and Hezbollah fired a barrage of approximately 20 drones targeting the Kiryat Shmona area.
• Hezbollah also claim to have a fired a surface to air missile at an Israeli Air Force plane over Lebanon, forcing its retreat.
• The IDF has responded to these rocket and drone attacks with air and drone strikes on southern Lebanon, and saying that it also targeted a Hezbollah operative in Tallouseh.
• Since October, Hezbollah’s attacks on northern Israel have killed 26 civilians, and 20 IDF personnel. Over 60,000 Israelis have been displaced from northern communities close to the Lebanese border, with little prospect of being able to return safely home in the near future.

The Centre / West Bank: Israeli security forces have foiled what is being described as an “imminent terrorist attack” along Route 6 in Israel following the detention of a number of Palestinian who were found to be illegally in Israel.

• Intelligence yielded during the subsequent interrogation led to the arrest of the two other suspects in their homes in the West Bank town of Bani Naim, near Hebron. Troops recovered weapons intended for use in the planned attack including an M16 rifle.

Gaza: The IDF says that it launched an airstrike on a humanitarian zone targeting a Hamas command and control centre and what it refers to as “significant Hamas terrorists” in Khan Yunis who had “advanced and deployed terror plots against IDF troops and Israeli civilians”.

• Hamas claim that 40 civilians were killed in the strike, and that its operatives were not in the area when it was struck.
• According to Israeli media accounts the strike targeted three high-ranking battalion and brigade commanders who served with Hamas military intelligence. All three had taken cover in the displaced persons’ tent encampment in Al-Mawasi.
• The strike followed rocket fire on the southern city of Ashkelon on Sunday, after which the IDF gave order on the area of Atatra.
• In recent months, the IDF has repeatedly issued evacuation orders for areas from which terrorists have launched rockets at Israel.

Context: Israel continues to face security threats in the north, the West Bank and Gaza.

• While 64 terrorists were killed in recent operations in the West Bank, the Israeli security establishment has emphasised that these efforts are ongoing and the threat of West Bank terrorism remains high.
• Concerns are high given the spread of attempted attacks from the north to the southern West Bank following recent car bombings and shootings in Gush Etzion thought to have emanated from Hebron, and Iranian attempts to recruit terrorists in Jordan.
• The security establishment (including Defence Minister Gallant, IDF Chief of Staff Halevi and head of the Shin Bet Bar) recently made the following recommendations to the security cabinet.
  • Introduce a pilot programme to allow West Bank Palestinian workers back into Israel. There is growing concern that without the workers income, the economic pressure could fuel motivation for future terror attacks. At the same time harsher punishments for those who enter Israel illegally.
  • Maintain the status quo on the Temple Mount, something that Prime Minister Netanyahu has continually repeated in opposition to Minister Ben Gvir.
• Iran is also believed to be smuggling advanced weaponry into the region while terrorist factions have been openly holding high-profile marches through West Bank refugee camps surrounded by civilians.
• The recent wave of airstrikes on Syria widely been attributed to the IDF are intended to degrade infrastructure intended to accelerate Hezbollah’s armament. The targets attacked – specifically the Scientific Studies and Research Center, (known as CERS or SSRC) manufactures advanced weapons such as long-range missiles and rockets.

Looking ahead: The Shin Bet is reportedly concerned about the prospect of suicide bombings resuming. It is likely that counter-terror operations will escalate, and a realistic possibility they will focus on the southern West Bank, especially around the city of Hebron given the number of recent attacks emanating from there.