Northern arena:
Defense Minister Galant, in a situation assessment in the Northern Command today: “We will not allow a return to the situation we were in until October 6. We will Intensify our efforts against Hezbollah.”
“Since the moment fire was directed at the Northern Command due to Hezbollah’s decision in an act devoid of provocation by Israel, we have resolved to prevent a recurrence of the circumstance that occurred to us before October 6, we are delivering severe blows to Hezbollah; they have suffered approximately one hundred and fifty casualties, and extensive property damage, and have been driven well beyond the perimeter, deep into the territory. The air force flies freely over Lebanon and we will increase all these efforts. “
IDF attacks in Lebanon:
Since this morning, the IDF attacked several Hezbollah targets in villages in southern Lebanon near the border with Israel. Most of the attacks focused on the villages of Kafr Kila, where two houses were hit by Israeli tank shelling, and a house in the village of Yaron. In addition, mortar shells were fired in the direction of the villages of Al-Adissa and Al-Khayyam, but no casualties were reported.
Furthermore, the IDF attacked the village of Mis al-Jabal, which led to the death of Hezbollah operatives Abbas Hassan Hazimah, and Wassam Khalil Hamoud who were killed in the village of Markaba, raising the number of Hezbollah operatives killed since the beginning of the war to 123.
At around 16:40, an IAF plane attacked a Hezbollah target in the village of Zawtar El Charkieh, located on the banks of the Litani River.
Since the beginning of the clashes, electricity and communication infrastructure in southern Lebanon have also been damaged, with about 150 malfunctions registered by the Lebanese Electric Company, in addition to damage to about 16 kilometers of electricity cables. As a result of these damages, the southern Lebanese village of Alma el-Chaab has been cut off from the electricity supply for a month.
Christmas was celebrated today in Lebanon, as it is in the rest of the Christian world, but in a stressful atmosphere. Due to the security events and in solidarity with the conflict in Gaza, the principal church in Sidon ordered the cancelation of all festive events and celebrations in southern Lebanon, with only religious services taking place. Many photographs were shared on social media showing the Lebanese army enforcing strict security measures near churches and Christian landmarks out of concern for internal security incidents.
Hezbollah:
Hezbollah, for its part, announced a series of actions in the afternoon: At 12:40, it launched rockets at buildings at the community of Misgav Am and claimed in its statement that it was a response for the attack on villages and civilian homes in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah also announced an attack on the Beit Hillel military base, east of Kiryat Shmona, with an anti-tank rocket, stating that this caused serious injuries. In reality, there were no injuries in this attack.
According to another Hezbollah announcement, at around 13:00, an attack was launched on a gathering of Israelis in the area of the Birket Risha.
Hezbollah also fired at the moshavim Avivim and Metula, claiming responsibility for an attack on an IDF position near the community of Hanita, causing casualties. Again, in reality, there were no injuries in this attack.
In the afternoon, Hezbollah issued an official statement: “In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their courageous and honorable resistance, at 16:45 on Monday 25-12-2023, Islamic Resistance Jihad attacked a position of Israeli enemy soldiers inside a building in the settlement of Al-Manara with appropriate weapons, causing confirmed injuries.” Israeli sources confirmed that military structures in Western Galilee had been attacked, but no injuries were reported.
It should be noted that Nasrallah is expected to give a speech tomorrow, December 26, 2023, at 18:00 to mark the anniversary of the death of senior IRGC official Qassem Soleimani.
Syria -Iran:
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced the death of Sayyid Rachi Mousavi, a senior commander in the IRGC in an “attack carried out by Israel” in the Sayyida Zaynab area on the outskirts of the capital Damascus. Mousavi is considered “one of the senior advisors to the IRGC in Syria and was considered “one of the IRGC’s oldest advisers and one of Qassem Soleimani’s friends. “Furthermore, Syrian media reported this afternoon that an airstrike targeted a farm in the Sayyida Zaynab area, and information indicated dead, wounded, and material damage.
The pro-Iranian militias announced that they attacked a US military base in eastern Syria.
South/ Gaza:
The IDF revealed yesterday that it discovered a large Hamas tunnel network beneath the Jabaliya refugee camp near Gaza City, where the bodies of five Israeli hostages were recovered earlier this month.
IDF infantry, air, and naval forces continue to engage in coordinated combat throughout the Gaza Strip, exposing and dismantling Hamas terror tunnel networks. One of the tunnels served Hamas’s northern command. The command center, located dozens of meters underground, contained weapons, weapons manufacturing infrastructures, weapons workshops, and emergency shelters from which the commander of the northern command, Ahmed Ghandour, led the attack on October 7th against the State of Israel. Furthermore, soldiers from the 4th Brigade Combat Team raided a building in Khan Yunis where they located weapons, additionally raiding a terrorist infrastructure inside a Hamas terrorist’s house destroying it. As part of the soldiers’ activity in Beit Lahia they discovered weapons including Kalashnikov rifles, ready-to-use explosives, and rifle cartridges.
During the past 48 hours, an IAF fighter jet directed by the fire center of the 98th Division killed a Hamas commander in the Khan Yunis region. Subsequently, a number of terrorists who were identified near our forces with a rocket in their hands were eliminated by the IAF.
Reports from Gaza: Iman al-Madhoun, a member of the Central Committee of the Popular Front, was killed in an IDF attack in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood.
Soldiers from the Nahal Brigade in the 162nd Division carried out operative activities around the “Al Rafaa” and “Zavaha” schools in the area of Daraj and Tuffah, in the northern Gaza Strip, in response to information regarding Hamas militants sheltering within schools. The forces discovered fifteen explosive belts, Kalashnikov rifles, and dozens of explosive devices inside UNRWA bags. A terrorist fired an anti-tank missile at IDF forces, the terrorist was then eliminated instantly by a precise tank strike. Numerous terrorists who took refuge within the schools were found to be affiliated with Hamas and PIJ and were brought in for questioning. Some of the terrorists that were brought in for questioning took part in the October 7th massacre.
Reports from Gaza: The IDF distributed leaflets in al-Burij, in the center of the Gaza Strip, and in Khan Yunis calling on the residents to evacuate to the south.
Humanitarian aid:
Today, the IDF upheld a humanitarian pause, until 14:00 p.m., in Deir al-Balah and Sheikh Mohammed al-Yamani – during which time the residents of the Gaza Strip were able to replenish their water and food supplies.
The IDF’s Coordinator of Government Operations in the Territories: 80,000 vaccines against measles, mumps and rubella donated by UNICEF arrived in the Gaza Strip yesterday.
Iran:
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denies the Pentagon’s claims that a UAV launched from Iran hit a tanker near the coast of India, calling it a “baseless accusation.”
Political:
According to Egyptian sources, Hamas and Islamic Jihad refused the Egyptian offer to end their control of Gaza in exchange for a full ceasefire.
@Israel_Alma_org:
Schools as human shields in Gaza:
Christian Churches as human shields in Lebanon:
