The Israeli Palestinian Conflict

Reactions to the Deaths of Fuad Shukr and Isma’il Haniyeh

In the southern suburb of Beirut on July 30, 2024, the IDF eliminated Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah's most senior military commander. The attack was carried out in response to a rocket fired by Hezbollah which hit the Druze village of Majdal Shams and killed 12 children and teenagers. Hezbollah confirmed the death of Shukr, stating that he was one of Hezbollah's founders and had led its military operations against Israel. Hezbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah stated that a new phase in the war had begun, claiming that revenge would; On July 31, 2024, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps and Hamas announced that Isma'il Haniyeh, head of Hamas' political bureau, had been killed in an attack on the building where he was staying in Tehran, having come to participate in the swearing-in of Masoud Pezeshkian, the new Iranian president. They claimed Israel was behind the attack. Israel did not claim responsibility. Hamas' military wing has threatened to retaliate. The Palestinian Authority (PA) and other Palestinian organizations issued; Iran's leaders made it clear that they would respond to Haniyeh's killing in Tehran; The "resistance axis" condemned Israel's elimination of Shukr in Beirut and the killing of Haniyeh in Tehran, and threatened to retaliate against Israel and the United States; there were condemnations in the Arab-Muslim world, concern of escalation was expressed in the international arena; In ITIC assessment, Hezbollah's response can be expected to exceed the parameters and the self-determined "equations" according to which it has operated from the beginning of the fighting. Hezbollah will most likely employ concentrated firepower, including the use of missiles and UAVs to attack military and civilian sites in northern Israel which so far have not been its targets, increasing the range of attacks on Israeli territory, possibly as far as the center of the country. Iran can also be expected to attack Israel with missiles and UAVs. Hamas will try to increase terrorist activity in Judea and Samaria and attack inside Israeli territory as well. In the short term, the elimination of Haniyeh may also affect efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and to release the hostages. Read more...

Spotlight on Iran (July 24 – 31, 2024)

Iranian leaders condemned the attack in which the head of Hamas’ political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in Tehran. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that “the criminal and terrorist Zionist regime prepared the ground through this operation for a heavy punishment for it"; The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the killing of senior Hezbollah operative Fouad Shukr in Lebanon. Senior Iranian officials warned an Israeli offensive initiative will lead to unexpected and severe consequences and expand the war in the region; Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held a series of meetings with senior members of the “axis of resistance” who came to Tehran to participate in his swearing-in ceremony; The Shiite pro-Iranian militias in Iraq continue their preparations for the possibility of a war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon; The US attacked a base of pro-Iranian Shiite militias in Iraq, killing at least four. Previously, American bases in Iraq and Syria had been attacked. There were no casualties; Senior Houthi officials continued to threaten retaliation against Israel following the attack on the port of al-Hudaydah. Read more...

Spotlight on the Israel-Palestinian Conflict (July 23 – 30 , 2024)

This past week IDF operations focused on the areas of Khan Yunis and Rafah in southern Gaza Strip. The forces also attacked Hamas facilities in civilian compounds. Two IDF soldiers were killed in combat. The Palestinian organizations continued firing rockets at Israeli territory,no casualties were reported; IDF forces rescued the bodies of five Israeli hostages killed by Hamas and held by since October 7, 2023, kept in a tunnel in the humanitarian area of Khan Yunis. Hamas claimed that Israel had set new demands for the negotiations; The World Health Organization announced it would send more than one million doses of polio vaccine to the Gaza Strip; Senior Fatah figure Muhammad Dahlan denied a report that he would head a Palestinian security force which would enter the Gaza Strip after the withdrawal of the IDF forces; Israel, Judea and Samaria: Palestinian terrorists carried out two shooting attacks this past week, wounding four IDF soldiers. The Israeli security forces continued their counterterrorism activities in Judea and Samaria. Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives tried and failed to launch rockets into Israeli territory from Tulkarm. The Palestinian security forces attempted to detain wanted terrorists and clashed with armed operatives; The Palestinians condemned Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech before Congress. Read more...

Reactions to the Hezbollah Rocket Attack on Majdal Shams

On July 27, 2024, Hezbollah launched a Falaq 1 rocket from south Lebanon at the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the northern Golan Heights. The rocket hit a soccer field and killed 12 children and teenagers, and injured more than 40 other people; Hezbollah initially claimed it had launched a rocket at the IDF base in the Hermon area, but then published a false statement denying any connection to the attack on Majdal Shams. In view of Israel's threats of a powerful response to the attack, Hezbollah warned it was prepared for a counterstrike, even if it led to an all-out war; In Lebanon, politicians avoided blaming Hezbollah. The Lebanese foreign minister proposed the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry to determine who was responsible for attacking Majdal Shams; Iran warned that an Israeli response could expand the arena of the war, and Syria accepted Hezbollah's claim that Israel was responsible for launching the rocket which hit Majdal Shams. The Druze community in Syria blamed Hezbollah and called for the organization to be punished; The international community condemned the attack on Majdal Shams. However, many of the condemnations avoided directly blaming Hezbollah for launching the rocket. Read more...

Spotlight on the Israel-Palestinian Conflict (July 16 – 23 , 2024)

This past week IDF activity focused on the Rafah region in the southern Gaza Strip and in the east of Khan Yunis in the central Gaza Strip. IDF forces also attacked Hamas facilities in UNRWA compounds. The Palestinian organizations continue firing rockets at towns and villages surrounding Gaza; Hamas accused Israel of raising obstacles in the ceasefire negotiations. The American Secretary of State said progress had been made towards reaching an agreement but several disputed issues remained; Hamas apologized to the Gazans for the suffering caused by the war; Human Rights Watch stated that on October 7, 2023, Hamas and other Palestinian organizations committed war crimes and crimes against humanity; Fourteen Palestinian organizations led by Fatah and Hamas held a meeting in China and signed a declaration "to end the schism and strengthen national unity." They agreed to establish a temporary government for the Gaza Strip after the war; Israel, Judea and Samaria: This past week there were three terrorist attacks in which six Israelis were injured. The Israeli security forces continued their counterterrorism activities in Judea and Samaria; The Palestinians welcomed the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice in The Hague which stated that Israel had to end the occupation of the Palestinian territories. Read more...

Escalation of the Confrontation Between Israel and the Houthis Background and Significance

On July 19, 2024, an Iranian-made UAV launched in Yemen by the Houthis exploded in Tel Aviv, killing one civilian and injuring eight others; In response, on July 20, 2024, the Israeli Air Force attacked several targets in the area of the Houthi-controlled Red Sea port of al-Hudaydah, in northwest Yemen. According to reports, at least six people were killed and more than 80 injured; On July 21, 2024, the Houthis announced the launch of ballistic missiles at Eilat. the IDF reported intercepting a missile before it entered Israeli territory; The leader of the Houthi movement said the UAV attack marked the beginning of the "fifth phase" in the "conflict" with Israel. Senior Houthi officials claimed that the Israeli attack on al-Hudaydah was a "crime" committed against "civilian facilities" which would not keep the Houthis from "supporting" the Gaza Strip; Palestinian terrorist organizations and organizations affiliated with the Iranian-led "resistance axis" praised the; In ITIC assessment, the Houthis fully intend to react directly against Israel, possibly leading to further escalation in the confrontation. Iran, whose influence on the Houthis is limited, seems to have no particular interest in expanding the conflict. Read more...

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