LTG Herzi Halevi, Chief of the General Staff, stated the following when joining combat forces in the heart of the Gaza Strip while conducting a situation assessment on the battlefield:
“The main source of strength in this war, which I feel all the time, is our teamwork. I look around and see the IDF, in every corner, everyone is doing everything that they can so that you will be as strong as possible. There is nothing that they will not do to help you perform in the best possible way. Keep moving forward, in a thorough way, you set the pace. We are behind you!”
General:
– Extensive escalation on the northern border. Hezbollah continues its attacks against civilian and IDF targets and infiltration attempts into Israeli territory. The IDF reacts very severely against any attack or attempted attack by Hezbollah and even attacks. According to Lebanese sources, IDF fighter jets attacked vehicles inside orchards in the Lebanese Al Zahrani area, 40 km from the Israeli border.
– IDF ground forces continue to operate in the Gaza Strip, directing precise artillery and fighter jets to destroy terrorist infrastructure and eliminate terrorists. The IDF has seized control of eleven Hamas military posts since the commencement of the ground operation. In doing so, the IDF has identified and seized 6000 weapons, including anti-tank missile launchers, anti-aircraft missiles, rockets and mortars, explosives, ammunition, and more, while targeting over 15,000 terrorist targets in Gaza. Combined IDF forces have struck numerous terror targets in Gaza in recent days, including command, control, and intelligence targets, operational command centers, terror and missile infrastructure, weapons and logistics depots, launch posts, terror tunnels, and numerous Hamas terrorists. The collaboration among air, naval, and ground forces persists, as the Israeli Navy and IAF execute rapid assaults on hundreds of targets under the guidance of infantry and intelligence.
– So far, according to the IDF since Saturday morning Oct. 7, 1,400 Israelis were murdered and 7,262 Israelis wounded. 361 IDF soldiers killed in action. 239 confirmed abducted civilians and IDF soldiers, including a total of 35 children, 10 of whom are below the age of 5, and 18 elderly persons who are 75 years of age or older. many more are still missing. Since the beginning of hostilities, 9,500+ rockets have been launched into Israel. To date, an estimated 250,000 Israelis have been compelled to leave their homes in the communities and towns adjacent to the northern frontier and the Gaza Strip, and have since been placed in different locations across the country.
Operational Updates:
Northern Arena:
Insights from Nasrallah’s speech today:
1. Unlike in his earlier speech, he portrays the campaign as a struggle between the axis of resistance, Israel, and the US on a multitude of fronts, including Lebanon.
2. He describes Hezbollah’s capability, as proved last week; the firing of Burkan missiles and others.
3. The goal, as depicted by Nasrallah is to launch a long campaign that will bring Israel to its knees in a variety of sectors, including economic, international relations, security, etc.
The bottom line of his rhetoric: The Lebanese front may continue in this manner with very limited escalation with a variety of weapons. However, he hedged his statement by asserting Hezbollah’s campaign will continue as long as the Israeli campaign continues in Gaza.
Friday:
-The IDF struck the organization in Syria that launched a UAV toward Eilat on Thursday, striking a school in the city. The IDF declared that it holds the Syrian regime fully responsible for every terror activity emanating from its territory. The IDF stated it will respond severely to every aggression against Israeli territory.
At 12:10 an anti-tank missile was fired at Manara. The IDF responded with artillery.
At 14:45 an anti-tank missile was fired at an IDF outpost near Mitzpe Adi. The IDF responded with artillery.
At 15:10 a report was received of a UAV infiltration in the Galil Panhandle area.
At 16:30 the IDF spokesperson reported that 3 UAVs had penetrated from Lebanese into Israel. One was intercepted by air defense fighters. The other two fell in open areas.
At 19:20 it was reported that four soldiers were seriously injured. One from a UAV, the other three from anti-tank fire. Another soldier was moderately wounded by the same UAV.
Later Friday evening, the IDF announced that it would attack military sites and intelligence infrastructure of Hezbollah in Lebanon in response to today’s events at the border.
Saturday:
At 10:20 a rocket was launched from the Lebanese border towards the Margaliot area falling in an open area. The IDF attacked the source of the artillery fire.
At 13:00 IDF warplanes and artillery, simultaneously, struck terrorist infrastructure in Lebanon.
At 14:45 the IDF attacked launching positions of rocket launchers in Lebanon after a number of launches took place at IDF posts on the border.
At 15:10, sirens were sounded due to the infiltration of a hostile aircraft in Western Galilee. Later, the IDF spokesman announced that 2 suspicious targets were intercepted in the Lebanon area, in addition to the interception in the Kabari area.
At 17:00 the IDF attacked a Hezbollah anti-tank squad in Lebanon that was trying to launch an ATGM towards Israel.
Just in: A short while ago, following the sirens that sounded in the Golan Heights, northern Israel, two launches were identified from Syria toward Israeli territory that fell in open areas. The IDF is striking the source of the attack in Syrian territory.
Gaza and Southern Israel:
– Last Thursday, the “Yahalom” (Patriot) system intercepted a hostile UAV near Eilat before it entered into Israeli land. This is one of numerous interceptions carried out by the Aerial Defense Array throughout the conflict.
– Based on exact intelligence, IDF troops killed a large number of Hamas Nukhba terrorists who took part in the October 7th massacre. Ahmed Musa, a company commander, and Omar Al-Hindi, a platoon leader, were positioned in western Jabalya. Musa was a commander in charge of the invasion of the Zikim Base, Kibbutz Zikim, and the Yiftach outpost. He conducted strikes against IDF troops in western Jabalya during the last day. Additionally, based on IDF and ISA intelligence, the Head of the Sniper Array of Hamas’ Northern Brigade, Mohammed Kahlout was killed.
-Based on ISA intelligence, IDF troops struck 19 Hamas militants who were planning to assault IDF troops overnight. IDF troops attacked a cargo container on the beach that contained about 20 rocket launchers. During a search for weapons in the southern portion of Sheikh A-Jilin, forces discovered a rocket launcher near residential houses. IDF forces struck or confiscated all firearms found.
– Over Thursday & Friday, IDF soldiers from the 7th Brigade raided a Hamas military base and a training camp in the middle of civilian neighborhoods within Gaza. Soldiers seized dozens of weapons, missiles, UAVs, maps, communication equipment, mortars, attack drones, and technology assets from structures. Approximately 30 terrorists were killed during the raid. Additionally, soldiers seized the office of Muhammad Sinwar, brother of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, where military doctrine documentation was found.
-In a separate operation, soldiers from the 7th Brigade, along with soldiers from the Yahalom Special Ops Engineering Unit, raided a Hamas “Zabra” Battalion military base. The soldiers uncovered anti-aircraft missile operation and calibration systems. The systems were located near a missile launcher used to target Israel. In addition to the rocket launcher, IDF soldiers discovered six mortars, weapons, a loaded rocket launcher, technological assets, electronic components, and several intelligence documents used by the Hamas terrorist group.
– The 401st Brigade Combat Squad attacked within Hamas’ Shati regional Battalion’s perimeter. During the battle, the army killed about 150 terrorists and took control of Hamas’ terrorist bases in the northern Gaza Strip. They include the Haspina outpost, where an armaments production site, launching stations, and an underground network were discovered and destroyed. The brigade also attacked the Blue Beach Hotel on the northern Gaza Strip’s shoreline. About 30 Hamas militants were housed in this hotel from which they launched three anti-tank missiles at IDF units. Following the takeover, it was discovered that the terrorists used the hotel rooms for shelter and to plan attacks against IDF forces above and below ground. The brigade’s soldiers recently took control of the Bader outpost, which is the major outpost of the Shati Battalion and is located near civilian buildings. The 401st Brigade destroyed military headquarters and launch locations as part of the raid on the outpost. This outpost was the last one on the Shati frontier to be destroyed.
– The 551st Brigade, composed of reserves commando and paratrooper soldiers, has been conducting operations in the Beit Hanoun region, where it has been destroying Hamas terrorist infrastructure and weaponry and eliminating terrorists. The forces dismantled weaponry, ammunition, and incendiary devices within a kindergarten situated in the Beit Hanoun region as an integral component of their operations. These engagements resulted in brigade casualties.
Human Sheild Tactic:
The IDF and ISA killed the terrorist who held hostage approximately 1000 Gazan residents at the Rantisi Hospital in the Gaza Strip. Based on precise IDF and ISA intelligence, and with the direction of IDF ground troops, IDF aircraft struck Ahmed Siam, a company commander of the Naser Radwan Company. Two days ago, the IDF spokesperson exposed that Siam held approximately 1000 Gazan residents hostage at the Rantisi Hospital and prevented them from evacuating southwards for their safety. Siam was killed while hiding in the “al Buraq” school, where additional terrorists under this command were also hiding and were killed. Ahmed Siam once again demonstrates that Hamas uses the civilians of the Gaza Strip as human shields for terror purposes.
Humanitarian aid:
It should be noted that under the Rules of War, Israel is under no obligation to supply for the needs of its enemy, Hamas.
-Rafah crossing on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip remains open for the flow of humanitarian aid carrying, medicine, medical equipment, and food. The IDF emphasizes that all equipment is checked before entering the Strip.
– The IDF continues to urge Gaza City inhabitants to move to a safe humanitarian zone in the Gaza Strip’s southwest, in the Al-Mawasi area, where international aid is supplied via the Rafah crossing. Hamas terrorists are attempting to impede their evacuation through persuasion or force, to exploit these civilians as “human shields.” Hamas operates terrorist networks in civilian buildings while cynically exploiting them, including the hospitals throughout Gaza. The IDF Spokesman in Arabic, Lt. Col. Avihai Adrei, addressed the residents of the Jabalia refugee camp and informed them that there would be a “tactical pause in activity during the day, and in particular between 14:00 and 10:00, for humanitarian purposes, and to allow them to join the hundreds of thousands who passed through Salah al-Din’s axis”
-On Friday, the IDF enabled the evacuation of the Rantisi and Nasser hospitals and opened an additional route to facilitate the movement of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip southward:
Following numerous pleas from Gaza City residents to evacuate the northern Gaza Strip for their safety due to Israeli activity in the area, the IDF permitted the evacuation of the Rantisi and Nasser hospitals. Yesterday (Friday), IDF troops created and secured a refuge path along which residents can travel on foot and in ambulances. Armed terrorists approached the IDF launching ATGMs at them while the IDF was protecting the evacuating Gaza residents and securing the route. The terrorists were struck by IDF forces.
According to IDF spokesperson 50,000 Gaza residents moved today to the humanitarian enclave in south Gaza.
In Israel, there are voices of protest against the insertion of any humanitarian aid into Gaza, while Israel does not receive any humanitarian aid or information in return regarding the abductees and hostages held by Hamas. 36 days have passed with no word regarding the hostages. Babies, women, senior citizens, and men, all kidnapped to Gaza on Oct. 7 – Nothing has been done by the international community, the U.N., despite repeated petitions to the International Red Cross.
Over the weekend, IDF, ISA and Border police forces arrested 19 wanted persons throughout the Judea and Samaria Division tonight, nine of them Hamas terrorists.
So far, since the beginning of the war, about 1,560 wanted persons have been arrested throughout the Judea and Samaria Division and the Bekaa and Amakim Division, about 940 of whom are associated with the terrorist organization Hamas.
International Arena: – The Arab-Muslim emergency summit following the war in Gaza opened today (Saturday) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The summit was attended by the leaders of Arab and Muslim countries, including Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Egyptian President Abd al-Sisi. All participants condemned Israel and called for an end to hostilities on its part, not a word against the atrocities of Hamas.
The location of the November 9th US airstrike – The Maysulun weapons storage facility in Deir ez Zur, Syria is on the main road of the Iranian corridor for smuggling rockets, missiles, and UAVs to their proxies in Lebanon and Syria. President Biden stated the US will strike again if necessary. The Pentagon confirms that US forces in the region were attacked 4 times after this strike.
