Iran

Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah Lebanon (December 22 – 30 ,2024)

The IDF continued thwarting Hezbollah's attempts to violate the ceasefire, attacking its terrorist operatives and destroying weapons and terrorist facilities in south Lebanon, and attacking sites used by Hezbollah to smuggle weapons along the Syria-Lebanon border. The IDF reported 44 Hezbollah operatives killed since the beginning of the ceasefire; Senior Hezbollah figures claimed they were committed to the ceasefire but accused the Lebanese government and those responsible for implementing the ceasefire of not addressing "Israeli violations." The editor of a Hezbollah-affiliated daily newspaper warned of a resumption of Hezbollah's "military actions"; The interim prime minister toured south Lebanon and met with members of the ceasefire oversight committee. He criticized the "Israeli violations," demanding the full withdrawal of IDF forces and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701; According to reports, Hezbollah is appointing new leaders to replace secretary general Hassan Nasrallah and other senior figures. The organization continues its reconstruction efforts across Lebanon, but local residents complained they were not being compensated fairly; Nabih Berri, the speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, said he was determined to hold the session to elect a new president on January 9, 2025. A senior Hezbollah figure claimed that the organization did not want a president who would "seek to attack the resistance." Read more...

Spotlight on Iran and the Shiite Axis (December 18 – 25, 2024)

Senior Iranian figures continued to express recognition of the damage to the “axis of resistance” due to the revolution in Syria and the overthrow of the Assad regime, while demonstrating confidence in the ability of the axis to continue operating amid the new circumstances, especially due to the ability of Hezbollah and the other organizations to produce weapons on their own. Iran is reportedly considering smuggling weapons to Hezbollah via flights to Lebanon; The Iranian government spokeswoman said that consultations are underway on reopening the embassy in Damascus. The new Syrian regime denied having ties with Iran and announced its intention to sue Tehran for its damage to Syria; The Iranian president and foreign minister met with their counterparts from Egypt and Turkey and called for exerting pressure on Israel to stop the war in the Gaza Strip and the attacks in Lebanon and Syria; A commander of the armed factions in Jenin admitted that they were receiving assistance from Iran. A terrorist operative in Tulkarm who operated with Iranian funding was eliminated; The Houthis claimed responsibility for nine attacks against Israel using drones and ballistic missiles, including a joint attack with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. Two missiles caused damage in central Israel, injuring 16 people. The Israeli Air Force attacked Houthi targets in Yemen, for the first time in the Sana’a area. Read more...

Houthi-Israel-United States Escalation, December 2024

Since the beginning of December 2024, Yahya Saria, the Houthi military spokesperson, claimed responsibility for 21 UAV and ballistic missile attacks on Israel, six of which were carried out in cooperation with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. It was the highest monthly number of attacks since the beginning of the Gaza Strip War. Some of the missiles and UAVs caused significant damage in Israel; On December 19, 2024, in response to the increase in attacks, the Israeli Air Force conducted a third strike on Houthi targets in Yemen, targeting areas in Sanaa, the capital, for the first time. Among the targets attacked were power stations and fuel and oil tanks, with reports of nine fatalities; The Houthis also escalated attacks on American military and civilian vessels in the Red Sea while decreasing attacks against non-American vessels. The United States carried out airstrikes against command and control facilities and underground missile storage sites; The Houthi leader and senior officials announced that despite Israeli and American strikes, they would continue attacking Israel as part of their "support for the Palestinians," and would not stop until the war in the Gaza Strip ended; In ITIC assessment, the Houthis plan to intensify their attacks on Israel, including by introducing new weapons, to position themselves as the leading active front of the "resistance axis" in light of the ceasefire in Lebanon and the halt of attacks by pro-Iranian militias in Iraq. Although the Houthis connect the continuation of their attacks to the war in the Gaza Strip, they will most likely find other pretexts to continue their violent activities in order to maintain their external and internal standing. However, international cooperation led by the United States, combining economic and military pressure, including targeted strikes on the Houthis' military capabilities, could dampen their ability to maintain their activities over time. Read more...

Spotlight on the Israel-Palestinian Conflict (December 17 – 24 , 2024)

IDF forces continued operations in the northern (the Jebalya refugee camp and Beit Lahia), central and southern Gaza Strip, eliminating terrorist operatives hiding in civilian structures, including senior Hamas figures. An IDF officer and two IDF soldiers were killed in the northern Gaza Strip; Hamas and other "Palestinian faction" delegations held meetings in Egypt to advance an agreement on a ceasefire and exchange of "prisoners". Hamas reiterated its insistence on a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip at the end of the process and accused Israel of presenting new demands; Egyptian efforts continued to persuade Mahmoud Abbas to approve the establishment of a community support committee to manage the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian "factions" presented names of candidates to represent them on the committee; A new study cast doubt on the data provided by Hamas' ministry of health in Gaza regarding the number of fatalities since the beginning of the war. Israel, Judea and Samaria: Palestinians carried out two terrorist attacks. Israeli security forces continued counterterrorism operations in Judea and Samaria, eliminating a wanted Palestinian who was operating with Iranian funding; The Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces continued operations against "gunmen" in the Jenin refugee camp. Two security operatives were killed and the "gunmen" threatened to escalate the fighting. Read more...

Spotlight on Syria (Following the Toppling of the Syrian Regime) December 16 – 23 , 2024

Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) began to consolidate its rule in Syria with the appointment of defense and foreign ministers as well as the appointment of commanders of organizations that helped topple the Assad regime to the positions of provincial governors; HTS leader Ahmad al-Shara (Abu Mohammad al-Julani) held meetings with senior foreign officials who arrived in Damascus, including the Turkish foreign minister. The American assistant secretary of state praised al-Shara and announced the removal of the bounty placed on his head; A meeting of senior Druze leaders with al-Shara drew criticism in the community and warnings against cooperation with the new government; It was claimed that the Syrian regime closed the airspace to Iranian planes that made their way to Lebanon; A Hezbollah member of parliament warned that if Israel engaged in military action against Syria, Hezbollah would help Damascus. The prime minister of Lebanon’s interim government instructed the official institutions to collaborate with HTS on security matters; There were reports of continued Israeli airstrikes throughout Syria and the advance of IDF forces in southern Syria. Al-Shara stressed that the removal of Hezbollah and the pro-Iranian militias from Syria had eliminated the justification for Israeli activity against Syria and called for the involvement of the international community; Turkey is reportedly concentrating forces on the border with Syria in preparation for a large-scale operation against the Kurdish militia; The United States carried out airstrikes against ISIS targets in Syria and eliminated a senior commander in the Deir ez-Zor area. Read more...

Summary of Terrorist Events, November 2024

During November 2024, fighting continued in the Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria, and south Lebanon, as did attacks on Israel from pro-Iranian militias in Iraq and Yemen. On November 27 a ceasefire in the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect; Lebanon: The fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continued until the ceasefire went effect. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 682 attacks on IDF forces maneuvering in south Lebanon and on military, security and civilian targets in Israel, extending as far as the Greater Tel Aviv area, compared to 806 attacks in the previous month. Hezbollah continued to conceal the names of senior figures and operatives killed, announcing only the deaths of the organization's spokesperson, Muhammad Afif, and four members of its media network; The Gaza Strip: Eleven rockets were launched at Israeli territory, compared to 28 rockets in the previous month. Targeted killings of senior and prominent terrorist operatives in Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) continued; Israel, Judea and Samaria: Four terrorist attacks were carried out in Judea and Samaria, with no fatalities, compared to nine attacks the previous month. Israeli security forces continued counterterrorism operations, focusing on northern Samaria. Terror operatives were eliminated in exchanges of fire and airstrikes, including commanders of terrorist organizations. A large shipment of Iranian weapons destined for terrorist operatives in Judea and Samaria was intercepted; Shi'ite militias: The Islamic Resistance in Iraq issued 69 claims of responsibility for attacks on 55 targets in Israeli territory, compared to 72 claims for 76 attacks the previous month. The Saraya Awliyaa al-Dam militia issued seven claims of responsibility for attacks on 11 targets in Israel, compared to 17 claims the previous month. On November 24 the militias ceased issuing claims of responsibility because of pressure from the Iraqi government and fear of an Israeli strike. Most of the launches by Iraqi militias lacked actual verification; some were intercepted, and others landed in Israeli territory without causing casualties. The Houthis claimed responsibility for five attacks on Israeli targets, compared to eight the previous month; Terrorist attacks on Israelis abroad: A Chabad emissary in the UAE was kidnapped and murdered. Three suspects, citizens of Uzbekistan, were arrested. Read more...

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Iran

Exporting the Islamic Revolution was one of the Iranian Revolution’s original, basic objectives. Iran seeks regional hegemony and more than that – dominance of the Muslim world. To that end, Iran has developed a network of underground organizations and terrorist groups within Islamic (especially Shiite) communities in the Middle East and around the world, including Africa, Latin America, Asia and beyond. In the Middle East, Iran is leading an anti-American and anti-Israeli Shiite axis struggling against the Middle Eastern Sunni countries led by Saudi Arabia. The Iranian axis (the “Axis of Resistance”) includes Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and Bahrain. In these countries, Iran handles proxy organizations operating to promote Iran’s interests.

Israeli-Iranian relations had their ups and downs. During the reign of the Shah of Iran, the two countries were allied politically. After the revolution and the establishment of the Islamic Republic, Iran revoked its recognition of Israel and ended all official relations with it.

To implement its anti-Israeli policies, Iran has broadened its ties to the terrorist organizations operating against Israel. Iran instigates terrorist organizations, especially the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah, to attack Israel, and finances and arms both organizations. In recent years, large shipments of weapons from Iran have been intercepted as they were en route to the Palestinian terrorist organizations.

To promote its regional and global interests and aspirations, Iran is developing military nuclear capabilities. It is also developing long-range missiles and warheads which can reach Israel, the rest of the Middle East, and Europe.