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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...

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...

Captured documents reveal how Iran smuggles weapons via Syria and Jordan

For years, Iran, its Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps and Qods Force, have been operating a network smuggling weapons and funds to its proxies in the Middle East, primarily Hezbollah and Hamas. Until the overthrow of the Assad regime in early December 2024, Syria was the main smuggling route for arming Hezbollah with advanced precision weapons, many of which were used to attack Israel; Documents captured from Hamas during the war in the Gaza Strip expose Iran's aerial, maritime and overland routes to smuggle weapons to Syria, Lebanon, and Judea and Samaria. Some documents related to the arrest in Jordan of a smuggling network affiliated with Hamas and showed how Hamas and Iran transfer weapons to Judea and Samaria in hopes of igniting yet another front against Israel. They also related to Israeli and American methods to prevent arms smuggling; In recent years, Jordan has intensified its efforts to combat the smuggling of weapons and drugs by networks directed by Iran and its militias, from south Syria into Jordanian territory. Israel has also increased its efforts to prevent arms from being smuggled to Hezbollah, Judea and Samaria; The overthrow of the Assad regime undermined Iran's ability to transfer weapons through Syria, especially to Hezbollah, which is trying to recover from the blows inflicted by Israel. However, Iran's commitment to the "resistance" will most probably cause Tehran to seek alternative routes to replace the one through Syria and transfer weapons to its proxies for attacks on Israel. Read more...

PA Security Forces Operate Against Armed Terrorists in the Jenin Refugee Camp

On December 14, 2024, the Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces launched a large-scale operation against armed terrorist operatives in the Jenin refugee camp, following orders from PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas. The forces clashed with the operatives, and the commander of a local Palestinian Islamic Jihad brigade was killed; A spokesperson for the security forces stated that the operation's goal was to liberate the refugee camp from the grip of criminals. He asserted that control over the camp had been achieved and that a car bomb meant for an attack on the forces had been neutralized. According to reports, some of the wanted terrorists surrendered to IDF forces; The operation followed a rise in tensions between the terrorist operatives and the PA security forces, the result of Israeli security force activities in Judea and Samaria since the beginning of the Gaza Strip War; The operation was also part of the PA's attempts to demonstrate governance and position itself as a ruling authority in the Gaza Strip in preparation for "the day after" the war. It was also an attempt to prevent an armed uprising similar to what overthrew the regime in Syria; Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) accused the PA of collaborating with Israel, and called on the security forces to cease their "persecutions" and join the "resistance" fighters; Despite the change in PA security forces' approach and their willingness to confront armed terrorist operatives, it is a complex challenge which will require long-term efforts. Since the beginning of the war, Iran has been attempting to ignite the Judea and Samaria front against Israel. In light of the blows sustained by the "resistance axis" in recent weeks, Tehran may intensify its efforts to encourage armed factions to escalate their activities against Israel and the PA, thus there is concern that the violence may spill over into other areas in Judea and Samaria. Read more...

Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah, Lebanon and Syria (July 15 – 22 , 2024)

During the past week Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 44 attacks on military and civilian targets in northern Israel, including towns and villages which had not previously been attacked. The Lebanese Companies for Resistance to the Israeli Occupation and Hamas-Lebanon also claimed responsibility for attacks on military targets. Two IDF soldiers were wounded in the attacks, there was significant damage to property; Israeli Air Force aircraft attacked Hezbollah targets and operatives in south Lebanon and the Lebanon Valley, including the commander of a unit of the Radwan Force; Hezbollah announced that seven operatives had been killed in the attacks. The IDF also eliminated a senior terrorist operative who belonged to al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya and Hamas-Lebanon; Hezbollah and the "resistance axis" continued preparing for the possibility of a war; Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah secretary general, threatened to attack new cities, towns and villages in Israel in response to harm to Lebanese civilians, and promised Hezbollah would restore the settlements in south Lebanon; Syria: A Syrian businessman close to the regime and the "resistance axis" was killed in an attack attributed to Israel. Read more...

Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah, Lebanon and Syria (June 17 – 24 , 2024)

This past week, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 38 attacks on military and civilian targets in northern Israel. An IDF soldier was injured by a UAV and two reserve soldiers were injured by an anti-tank missile; Israeli Air Force fighter jets and UAVs attacked Hezbollah targets and operatives in south Lebanon. A senior terrorist operative of al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya was killed in a targeted attack in the Lebanon Valley; Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah secretary general, warned that the organization would act without limitations in the event of an all-out war against Israel, could hit any target in Israeli territory and could invade the Galilee. He warned Cyprus not to participate on Israel's side in the event of a war; According to reports, Hezbollah uses the Beirut International Airport to store Iranian weapons, including missiles and rockets; Hezbollah published a video of a UAV that photographed security and civilian facilities in the Haifa area. Another video threatened to attack strategic sites in Israel; The estimated damage to south Lebanon since the beginning of the fighting is over $1.5 billion and there are more than 90,000 displaced persons; The American envoy Amos Hochstein held talks in Lebanon in an attempt to prevent further escalation in the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Read more...