The West

Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., January 9, 2024)

The IDF forces focused on fighting in the al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza Strip where they found a series of arms factories, including factories manufacturing long-range rockets. In the southern Gaza Strip, the IDF strengthened their hold on Khan Yunis and took control of additional neighborhoods in the south of the city. Senior Hamas figures criticized the Israeli defense minister's comments about the IDF's entry into the third phase of combat. Hezbollah continued attacking IDF posts and concentrations of forces on the northern border. On the morning of January 9, 2024, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a UAV attack on a military headquarters in Safed. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq also claimed responsibility for the attack. In Syria, the IDF eliminated a senior Hamas terrorist operative. American Secretary of State Anthony Blinken continued his tour of the Middle East countries. He met with the heads of government in Saudi Arabia and the UAE and is expected to arrive in Israel.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., January 8, 2024)

The IDF forces continued their integrated ground maneuver in the Gaza Strip, focusing on the Khan Yunis area, where they expanded the activity to neighborhoods in the east of the city. In Shejaiya in the northern Gaza Strip, the forces destroyed Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist facilities. The Palestinian media reported heavy fighting and airstrikes mainly in the Khan Yunis area There was sporadic rocket fire, for which the Jerusalem Brigades, the PIJ's military-terrorist wing, claimed responsibility.There were reports of a dire medical situation, the result of the large number of casualties and the inability of the hospitals, some of which are closed, to admit them. Hezbollah continued to attack IDF positions and towns on the border. In the IDF attack in south Lebanon on January 8, 2024, a commander of Hezbollah's elite Radwan force was killed. Due to the tense situation, the Lebanese minister of education announced the suspension of studies in schools in south Lebanon.There was a vehicle ramming attack at the Ras Biddu checkpoint near Jerusalem. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for launching a long-range missile at Haifa a few days ago.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., January 4, 2024)

IDF forces continued the integrated ground maneuver in the Gaza Strip, focusing on the Khan Yunis area in the southern Gaza Strip and the Daraj-Tufah neighborhoods east of Gaza City. The Palestinian reported attacks throughout the Gaza Strip, which focused on the area of the al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. On the morning of January 4, 2024, rockets were fired at the cities, towns and villages surrounding the Gaza Strip, including Ashqelon. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for an unusually large number of attacks (15). Nine Hezbollah operatives were killed in Israeli strikes in south Lebanon. Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of Hezbollah, said in a speech that "Hezbollah's quick action and intervention in the conflict as early as October 8 were what prevented Israel from attacking them." Israeli security forces operated in the Nur Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm for the second consecutive day.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., January 3, 2024)

The IDF forces continued the integrated ground maneuver in the Gaza Strip, focusing on Gaza City in the north and the Khan Yunis area in the south. The Palestinian media reported that during the night intense attacks were carried out in the central Gaza Strip, in east and west Khan Yunis, and in north Rafah.The most prominent event was the targeted attack in Beirut which killed Saleh al-'Arouri, deputy head of Hamas' political bureau, who was responsible for Hamas terrorist activity in Judea and Samaria.. The killing provoked many reactions among the Palestinians, Hezbollah, Iran and the pro-Iranian militias. Hezbollah expressed sorrow at Saleh al-'Arouri's death, calling it a dangerous development in the war between Israel and the "resistance axis." UNIFIL and the Lebanese government expressed concern about the expansion of the war. The prime minister of Lebanon called for a complaint to be submitted to the UN Security Council.Following the elimination of Saleh al-'Arouri, demonstrations and protest marches took place throughout Judea and Samaria, Iran and pro-Iranian militias responded to al-'Arouri's killing and said they fully supported the Palestinians.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., January 1, 2024)

The IDF forces continued their integrated ground maneuver in the Gaza Strip, focusing on the Khan Yunis area in the south. Collaborating with the armored and engineering forces and the Israeli Air Force, the fighters eliminated terrorists in face-to-face clashes. They also located and destroyed terrorist facilities, finding large quantities of weapons (IDF spokesperson, December 31, 2023). At midnight, as 2023 became 2024, a barrage of more than 20 rockets attacked central Israel and the area between Ashdod and Jerusalem. Hamas' military-terrorist wing claimed responsibility for the attack. Egypt summoned delegations of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and other terrorist organizations to a meeting in Cairo to discuss the ceasefire and "the day after." According to a single report, a Hamas delegation left for Cairo.Hezbollah claimed responsibility for attacks on Israel. A Palestinian terrorist carried out a stabbing attack in the industrial zone of Ma'ale Adumim, wounding two security guards. The Palestinians in Judea and Samaria marked the anniversary of the founding of Fatah; Mahmoud Abbas gave a speech. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for attacking the Golan Heights and Eilat. The IDF spokesperson reported that missiles had been intercepted. The Houthis in Yemen reported ten operatives dead in an American attack and claimed the United States was responsible for their deaths and the consequences.
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Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., December 31, 2023)

The IDF forces continued their integrated ground maneuver in the Gaza Strip focusing on the Daraj-Tufah neighborhoods in the northern Gaza Strip and the city of Khan Yunis in the south, where they operated in the Khirbat al-Khiza'a area to gain operational control the region.. The Palestinians reported fierce fighting in many centers in the Strip. Senior Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists continue to claim that they controlled the battlefield and that Israel had suffered heavy losses. Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) continue to reiterate that there will be no prisoner exchange or any other deal with Israel until the "aggression" ends and Israel withdraws from the Gaza Strip.Medical personnel and UNRWA warn of hardships and hunger in the Gaza Strip, noting that the current amount of humanitarian aid is insufficient. Senior Hamas and PIJ terrorists are engaged in formulating answers to the mediators' proposals for a cease-fire and the issue of control of the Gaza Strip "the day after." Hezbollah continued attacking IDF outposts. The IDF responded with massive attacks on south Lebanon. Several attacks were also carried out in Syria, mainly on targets of the pro-Iranian militias, including an attack in the Albukamal area on the Syria-Iraq border. There were two vehicle ramming attacks in the Hebron area and a stabbing attack in east Jerusalem; Hamas and the PIJ praised the attacks . South Africa has petitioned to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for proceedings against Israel, claiming that Israel is "deliberately committing genocide" of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Hamas and the PIJ praised South Africa and called on other countries to do the same.
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