Hezbollah

Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., November 29, 2023)

Following the extension of the temporary ceasefire, a fifth group of abductees, ten Israeli women and two foreign civilians, were released in the evening. On this occasion there was a prominent presence of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist operatives.. The talks to extend the ceasefire continue. Despite the temporary ceasefire, on the afternoon of November 28, 2023, three explosive devices were detonated in two different incidents and Palestinian terrorist organizations shot at IDF forces in the northern Gaza Strip, wounding several. Hamas' military-terrorist wing claimed it was "friction on the ground" caused by "an Israeli violation of the temporary ceasefire agreement. In Gaza Strip local and international figures continue to assess the damage, claiming the aid reaching the Gaza Strip is insufficient and there is concern over the outbreak of epidemics. In The northern sector The presence of Hezbollah terrorist operatives, some of them armed, has been reported along the Israel-Lebanon border.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., November 27, 2023)

On the evening of November 26, the third group of abductees held by Hamas was released. It included 13 Israeli women and children, three Thai citizens and an Israeli with dual Israeli-Russian citizenship. In return, 39 Palestinian prisoners were released. International officials, as well as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) senior terrorist operatives, are talking about the possibility of extending the pause in the fighting in exchange for the release of additional abducted women and children.Calm prevailed following the pause in the fighting in Gaza and no unusual incidents were recorded.The northern border remains quiet. Hezbollah reported that Lebanese living near the border were compensated for damages they incurred. Hamas called on the public to participate in a memorial service for the operative of the Hamas military-terrorist wing from Tulkarm who was killed in the Gaza Strip. A reception was held in Ramallah for the third group of released prisoners. The PIJ complained that the IDF was trying to interfere with the reception of the released Palestinian prisoners.Iran said it supported a permanent cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, but claimed it had no involvement in the actions of the "resistance groups against Israel and the United In Yemen, an attempt was made by the Houthis to hijack a tanker with connections to Israel. The ship was freed with the help of United States Navy ships sailing in the area.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., November 26, 2023)

On November 24, 2023, at 7 a.m., a four-day hiatus in the fighting began in the Gaza Strip, followed by the first phase of the deal to release the abductees. So far 26 Israeli civilians and 15 foreigners have been released in two groups. Israel released 76 Palestinian prisoners. More abductees are supposed to be released in the coming days. Senior Hamas terrorists and international figures are talking about extending the agreement and releasing more hostages. However, Hamas continues posing difficulties, claiming Israel is violating the terms of the agreement. Trucks bringing humanitarian aid began entering the Gaza Strip. Gazan sources claimed the amount of aid was insufficient and should be increased. Hamas' military-terrorist wing announced the deaths of four senior commanders; their funeral was held in the northern Gaza Strip. Protests in Gaza continue. Although Hezbollah did not officially announce it would participate in the pause in the fighting, with the exception of isolated incidents, relative quiet has prevailed in the northern arena since the pause began. In Judea and Samaria: The IDF security forces continue their counterterrorism activities. Iran supports the temporary hiatus and hopes it will be extended, while stressing that Israel has not achieved anything and Hamas is winning.The pro-Iranian militias have been asking whether they should stop their activities against United States military bases and Israel following the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
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Operation Iron Swords The fighting on the Israel-Lebanon border

On October 8, 2023, Hezbollah opened another front against Israel from Lebanon. In recent weeks, Hezbollah has escalated its attacks. Since the beginning of the fighting, Israel has been subjected to 324 attacks from Lebanon, 309 carried out by Hezbollah and 15 by other terrorist organizations. The attacks mainly include the firing of anti-tank missiles, rockets and mortar shells. Recently, Hezbollah began using other weapons, such as heavy Barkan rockets and armed UAVs. Most of cities, towns and villages and IDF posts attacked are along the border or within a few kilometers of it. Since the beginning of the fighting, 86 Hezbollah terrorist operatives and 14 operatives from other terrorist organizations have been killed. Nine Israelis have been killed, six soldiers and three civilians. Hezbollah has rarely mentioned the concept of "the unity of the arenas,". In ITIC assessment, the basic premise of the concept was that Israel would stand alone in an all-out war against many fronts manipulated by Iran, a vision that has been partially realized. Nasrallah has emphasized that it is the Palestinians' war, and Hezbollah's activity against Israel is part of the "support front" of Iran and its various affiliates for Hamas. During the fighting Hezbollah is making an effort to learn how the IDF operates, gauge its capabilities and make adjustments for its current and future activities. At this stage, Hezbollah is operating "below the threshold of war". In ITIC assessment, Hezbollah will continue its activities at the current level with local escalations according to events. However, it is possible that as the IDF's fighting against Hamas progresses and intensifies, and Hezbollah senses a danger to Hamas' survival, it may consider significantly expanding the fighting against Israel, but only in coordination with Lebanese internal constraints and Iran's position.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., November 23, 2023)

Despite the announcements of a deal to release some of the abductees and a ceasefire on November 23, as of now the agreement has not been implemented and the timetable for its implementation is unclear. According to Isma'il Haniyeh's advisor, the discussions are currently about the mechanisms for its implementation. In the southern arena: IDF forces continued operations in Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip. An extensive tunnel network was uncovered at Shifa Hospital, used as headquarters by Hamas terrorist operatives, and apparently Israeli hostages from the October 7, 2023, attack were held there. According to an unofficial estimate, since October 7 approximately 1,200 Israeli civilians and security personnel have been killed, 392 of them soldiers and officers; 236 civilian and military abductees are being held by the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip. Sporadic rocket launches were carried out from the Gaza Strip, in northern Israel an unusual barrage of 48 rockets was launched at the Galilee, a ballistic missile was launched at Eilat from the region of Yemen and intercepted before it reached Israeli territory. The difficult humanitarian continues in the Gaza Strip. Hezbollah military-terrorist activity continued. In Judea and Samaria, Israeli security force counterterrorism activities continue. The Iranian foreign minister visited Lebanon and met with government officials, and secretary general of Hezbollah and representatives of the Palestinian terrorist organizations.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., November 22, 2023)

Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) announced the details of the release deal, which includes a four-day ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, during which 50 abductees, children and women, will be released in exchange for 150 Palestinian women and children prisoners, and the introduction of humanitarian aid to the Strip. The IDF's integrated ground maneuver continued, focusing on several neighborhoods in the northern Gaza Strip. The IDF continued its operations at Shifa Hospital, exposing the route of the Hamas tunnel under the hospital. Palestinian media described the northern Gaza Strip as a "ghost town. Hezbollah continues attacking IDF posts and the Israeli cities, towns and villages along the border. IDF forces responded with artillery fire and airstrikes. The leader of Iran again noted the "defeat" of Israel, which he claimed was using its strength against hospitals, schools and attacks on "innocent civilians." The American Army's Central Command reported that in response to the series of attacks on United States bases, it had attacked two facilities belonging to the pro-Iranian militias in Iraq.
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Hezbollah

Hezbollah is a Shi’ite Muslim organization with a dual identity, being both a terrorist organization supported by Iran and a Lebanese political party. Hezbollah was founded by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in 1982 to compete with Amal, an important Shi’ite Muslim militia active during the Lebanese civil war. When the IDF withdrew from Lebanon at the end of the First Lebanon War (1985), Hezbollah became the dominant organization in south Lebanon and later throughout the entire Shi’ite population in Lebanon. In 1992, Hezbollah entered Lebanese politics and its representatives were elected to the parliament.


Hezbollah is a terrorist organization attacking mainly Israel, from over the Lebanese border and abroad. For the most part, Hezbollah attacked northern Israeli cities with rockets. However, with direction and backing from Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Hezbollah also carried out terrorist attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets abroad, the most serious of which were the attack on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires (March 17, 1992) and the attack on the Jewish Community Center, also in Buenos Aires (July 18, 1994). Hezbollah has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.

After the IDF withdrew from south Lebanon in May 2000, Hezbollah took control of the entire region. With Iranian support it constructed a vast military infrastructure in Lebanon, including an extensive artillery layout and precision missiles which threaten the Israeli home front. Before the Second Lebanon War (2006), Hezbollah carried out sporadic attacks along the border. Since June 2006 (the Second Lebanon War), it has maintained a relatively low profile.

Hezbollah continues to increase its influence as a political power in Lebanon, and at the same time reinforce its military infrastructure. In recent years, Hezbollah has been involved in the fighting in Syria as part of the Iranian-led camp supporting the Syrian regime.

Ever since its establishment, the State of Israel has been forced to deal with waves of terror of various types and at various levels of intensity directed against it and its citizens. These waves of terror are carried out by various Palestinian organizations that have been conducting the terror campaign against Israel for decades. Over the years, the activity of Palestinian terrorist organizations has caused many losses among Israel’s civilian population. The activity of Palestinian terrorist organizations was not limited to the borders of the State of Israel, but was carried out abroad as well (mainly in 1968-1978, the peak years of global terrorist activity).

There are ideological differences between the Palestinian terrorist organizations. Some of them are Palestinian terrorist organizations with an Islamic ideology and some have a secular ideology. However, the terrorist activity that they carry out appears to share the same goals. The main goals are: to disrupt the lives of the Israeli civilian population and undermine its security, to harm Israel’s economy and image, and to place the Palestinian issue and its ideology on the global agenda.

During the years of the conflict, the Palestinian terrorist organizations have attempted to carry out attacks in almost every possible arena (land, sea, air, in Israel and abroad), refining their methods and modus operandi. The bases of many terrorist organizations are located in the Gaza Strip, but there are also networks operating in Judea and Samaria. Some of the organizations also have a presence in Arab countries, and some receive support from countries or organizations. Over the years of Palestinian terror, the terrorist organization map has changed. Some of the terrorist organizations have disappeared or died down, but new terrorist organizations have emerged in their stead.