ALERT Main Israel/Hamas/Gaza Thread

jward

jward

passin' thru
Robby Starbuck
@robbystarbuck


Twitter calls Hamas "the group that rules Gaza". I guess they forgot Hamas was designated a terrorist organization by the US, the European Union, Japan, Israel, Canada and more. Not pointing that out is not a mistake. It’s very intentional psychological manipulation.


1621790616640.png
 
jward

jward

passin' thru





Amichai Stein
@AmichaiStein1
6m


Defense Minister Gantz on money being transferred to the Gaza Strip: the most important thing is not to return to the status quo situation as before, otherwise everything will be wasted - a change in reality is needed. >
Gantz added: We are looking for a better method of transferring and supervising Qatari money transferred into Gaza. There will also be a discussion with the PM on the subject - do not want to return to what was before.
Regarding the entry of materials into Gaza, Gantz said: The more we work with the Egyptians, the better we will be able to monitor. But he admits: even if we monitor the materials, some of what will enter may go to Hamas. Trying to perfect the methods of supervision.
 
H

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
jward said:

Amichai Stein
@AmichaiStein1
6m


Defense Minister Gantz on money being transferred to the Gaza Strip: the most important thing is not to return to the status quo situation as before, otherwise everything will be wasted - a change in reality is needed. >
Gantz added: We are looking for a better method of transferring and supervising Qatari money transferred into Gaza. There will also be a discussion with the PM on the subject - do not want to return to what was before.
Regarding the entry of materials into Gaza, Gantz said: The more we work with the Egyptians, the better we will be able to monitor. But he admits: even if we monitor the materials, some of what will enter may go to Hamas. Trying to perfect the methods of supervision.
Click to expand...

Yeah, right......
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
Israel's Covert War in Iran to Intensify After Gaza Fight


2-3 minutes


Israel's Covert War in Iran to Intensify After Gaza Fight 1
Israel’s covert war in Iran to intensify (Archive: jcamilobernal/iStock)
A large explosion damaged an Iranian drone factory in Iran’s Isfahan province overnight, wounding at least nine people, The Guardian reports. Local residents said the massive blast shook windows at homes in the area.
The incident comes days after Prime Minister Netanyahu revealed that an armed Iranian drone flew into Israel from the east during the Gaza conflict. The timing of the explosion at the drone plant raises the possibility that it was a pinpoint Israeli revenge attack.

However, the blast may be followed by further operations in Iran as part of a strategic change. The Israeli defense establishment was already planning to boost its covert war inside Iran, and the recent war could now speed up the process given Iranian support for Gaza’s terror groups.

Punishing Iran for Gaza terror
A high-ranking officer acknowledged in March that Israel plans to increasingly move the conflict with Tehran to Iranian territory. Major General Tal Kalman, who heads the new IDF directorate focusing on this sensitive front, said that the army will be upgrading its capacity to secretly strike in Iran.
Later, a leading military analyst said that Israel will have to stage covert operations in Iran more often instead of settling for sporadic attacks by Mossad. The IDF must play a bigger role to make this secret campaign more effective, Alon-Ben David wrote.

Notably, the war in Gaza revealed that Hamas and Islamic Jihad significantly boosted their rocket power, with Iran’s help. Terror leaders openly admitted this and thanked Tehran for upgrading their military arsenal.
The IDF is now expected to adopt a more aggressive doctrine in Gaza and retaliate more harshly for future rocket attacks. However, Israel will likely also aim to hit Iran directly in a bid to disrupt and discourage its sponsorship of hostile elements, in Gaza and elsewhere.
Israel's Covert War in Iran to Intensify After Gaza Fight
 
jward

jward

passin' thru





Joe Truzman
@Jtruzmah
3m


Al-Qassam Brigades officially announced the death of Osama Jamal al-Zebda, a field commander belonging to the militant group. FDD's Long War Journal confirmed w/ an official that al-Zebda was a U.S. citizen & on a terrorist watch list in an article published Sunday. #Gaza #Israel
 
W

Walkin' Away

Senior Member
Cease-fire or not...this is a simmering pot of hate-filled, anti-semitic ramblings; being fueled by the Iranians. Southern breeze was very correct in her assessment concerning Iran. The bullies of the middle east, using their patsy-du-jour to incite Israel's response in defending herself.

These tactics are nothing new. The only "new" thing is, that we here in the US have an idiotic bunch of horses-asses (sorry, Dobbin...I still love you:kiss:) running things. I'm sure that doesn't inspire confidence in the leadership in Israel.

I also wish that Israel would do what needs to be done...Obliterating Iran from the face of the earth.
I also realize that that would be a WORLD-CHANGING event.

Finally, with all these geo-political happenings, that old curse of "may you live in interesting days" becomes even more real!

I will keep looking up and waiting for THE CALL!

Walkin' Away
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
Israel Radar
@IsraelRadar_com
3h


#Israel updates military plans for possibility of renewed fighting in #Gaza,
@amirbohbot
reports; IDF chief Kochavi orders army to speed up detection of new terror targets. This war may not be over just yet...

_________________________________________________
EndGameWW3
@EndGameWW3



Update: Al-Qassam Brigades: Our actions precede our words, and our missiles are in their positions ready, awaiting the decision.
 
okie-carbine

okie-carbine

Veteran Member
A ceasefire is useless at this point. This is like 2 kids going at it on the playground. You have to just let them fight it out until one gives up or is knocked out.

Well, I don't know what kind of analogy that is, but you get my point. LOL
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
Redefining Iran’s Role in its Latest ‘Shadow War’ Against Israel
by Behnam Ben Taleblu

10-13 minutes


“This man filled the hands of the Palestinians . . . He did something so that they can stand, so that they can resist,” Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said. That’s how he chose to honor Qassim Suleimani, the slain former commander of the notorious Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds-Force (IRGC-QF), mere days after his death.
During the latest cycle of violence emanating from the Gaza strip, Tehran’s Palestinian proxies—Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)—showed exactly how “full” their hands were by reportedly launching forty-three hundred rockets at the Jewish state. These rockets traveled longer distances and in larger volleys than ever before. Indeed, the rate of fire from the latest iteration of fighting far outpaced the last war, which also featured an estimated four thousand rockets but took place over seven weeks in 2014. Although not every weapon fired was of Iranian origin, the Islamic Republic remains the most important foreign supporter of Gazan long-range strike capabilities.

Lest we forget, the Islamic Republic is a revolutionary regime aiming to export its political model and alter the regional strategic balance in its favor. Creating, cultivating, and co-opting proxies and terror groups is one only aspect of this policy. The other is arming, training, and funding them. Major impediments to Tehran’s grand project have long been the U.S. force presence in the region, far-reaching economic sanctions, and the existence of highly motivated, militarily capable, and Western-aligned actors like Israel, with whom the Islamic Republic harbors deep ideological and political enmity.
But this is only putting it mildly. After all, Tehran has flight-tested missiles with genocidal slogans against Israel painted on them and used Jewish symbols for missile target practice.

The founding father of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, established his revolutionary regime on anti-Israel footing from the very beginning, calling upon Iranians and Muslim nations to work together towards Israel’s destruction. Khomeini’s successor, Khamenei, has called Israel a “cancer” and in 2012, went so far as to admit that Iran would “support and help any nations, any groups fighting against the Zionist regime across the world.” Iran has long used its support of the Palestinian cause as a way to champion its bid to lead the Muslim world and compete with the likes of Turkey and Saudi Arabia. The Islamic Republic’s ongoing support to Hamas and PIJ, as well as their offshoots, are therefore entirely consistent with Khamenei’s proclamation and Khomeini’s founding message.

Although Hamas and PIJ benefit from several foreign sources, Iran remains the most important given its anti-status quo foreign policy, demonstrated proliferation capabilities, and overall ideological motivations and strategic intentions. Iran-backed groups in the region, such as Lebanese Hezbollah, understand Tehran’s value-added in the latest fighting, as do other Palestinian terror groups, which have felicitated Iran’s Supreme Leader. Recently, a commander in the pro-Iran Popular Mobilization Units (PMUs) in Iraq opined on social media, “On every missile [rocket] that leaves dear and honorable Gaza for the victory of Quds, there are the fingerprints and signatures of our martyred commanders,” implicitly praising Iran’s Soleimani and his Iraqi counterpart, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Months earlier, PIJ’s Secretary-General touted that, “With the capabilities at hand today, Gaza can confront Israel for a prolonged war. This expertise did not come from nowhere. They are the result of a great effort by Hajj Qassem [Soleimani] to enable [the Palestinian] fighters to reach that goal.” Here, the praise of Iran’s proxy groups mirrors that of its patron.

Iran’s material support to Palestinian groups has traditionally consisted of rockets, anti-tank weapons, mortars, rifles, mines, and other explosives—all of which have been intercepted in the past—and is well known. Most of this support stems from Iran’s own arms industry. Tehran has a robust rocket production capability dating back to the Iran-Iraq War, where the father of Iran’s missile program reportedly learned to develop Katyusha rocket launchers indigenously. In the 1990s, Iran benefited from significant Chinese support for its burgeoning missile and rocket program through the dual-use trade as well as assistance with solid-propellants, which rockets employ. Evolution in propellant production and technology, as well as guidance and control systems led Tehran to transform longer-range rockets into battlefield-relevant solid-propellant ballistic missiles. Currently, Iran is engaged in a project to turn Lebanese Hezbollah’s rockets into missiles, as well as upgrade its decades old artillery rockets with precision-strike capabilities.

Iran’s regional proxies have benefitted substantially from these competencies. Hamas now employs suicide drones which look similar to other Iran-provided loitering munitions that can be found in the hands of Houthi rebels in Yemen. Hamas’s present rocket arsenal includes Fajr-3 and Fajr-5 rockets from Iran and M-302 rockets from Syria. They also possess a slew of other domestically manufactured but assumedly foreign-inspired rockets like the Katyusha, the Qassam, the Grad, the Sejjil (not to be confused with the Iranian two-stage solid-propellant ballistic missile), the R-160, the J-80, the A-120, and the latest and longest range rocket in its arsenal, the Ayyash, which can travel a reported 250 kilometers and was recently fired towards Eilat. Iran has also provided Hamas with the Kornet anti-tank missile, but Hamas also boasts anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons from Libya, as well mortars. PIJ is believed to have similar capabilities to include a 107-millimeter rocket known as the Fajr-1, the Fajr-3/5, the Grad, and the more recently produced Badr-3 rocket, which was unveiled in the Iranian press in 2019 and recently fired at Ashkelon. A PIJ official recently used a social media account to thank Iran for the Badr-3.
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
continued...

Given the blockade on Gaza, Tehran has spent the past decade finding new routes to continue trafficking arms. A recent Israeli report attests that starting in 2006, Iran was supporting Hamas through a diverse set of supply routes ranging from Sudan to Yemen. Iran’s past use of Sudan as a jurisdiction to produce and store arms for eventual transfer to the Levant makes it sound like another well-known Iranian staging ground: Syria. In 2014, the deputy commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force (IRGC-AF) called the Syrian regime “a good bridge” between Iran and “the resistance in Lebanon and Palestine.” More recently, a former deputy Iranian foreign minister claimed that American interest in Syria after the Arab Spring was driven by Syria’s potential to be a “missile transfer location” for the “resistance.”

However, there have been more significant changes in Iran’s arms proliferation strategy than new routes. Tehran has been moving to prioritize domestic rocket, missile, or drone production in jurisdictions where it has previously transferred whole systems. This is true for Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, and the Palestinian territories. These changes reveal responsiveness to external stimuli, a desire for a sanctions-resistant and cost-effective security policy, and an ability to transpose lessons from past conflicts across multiple theaters. Bluntly, the success of this strategy will mean that detecting Iran’s hand in future conflicts may not be so easy as seeing whole systems from Iran’s arsenal—as in this case, the Fajr—appear in the hands of Hamas, PIJ, or other terror groups. The Islamic Republic is keen to avoid another “made in Iran” moment as occurred with earlier missile transfers to the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

During past rounds of fighting, such as in 2014, Iranian officials claimed that they did not proliferate rockets to Gaza, but rather supplied Gazans with relevant rocket know-how. In 2012 however, Iran reportedly admitted to proliferating the Fajr-5 to Hamas, which has since been domestically produced under the moniker, M-75. Both systems are capable of traveling seventy-five kilometers. In Iran, the Fajr family of rockets has been upgraded several times to include increases in range, warhead weight, and even an alleged guidance capability. It is unclear if these newer variants have made their way into the Palestinian arsenal.

As Iran works to make its proxies more militarily self-sufficient, opportunities for weapons interception will be reduced and claims of attribution against Tehran will become harder. This is likely to blunt the impact of any future foreign pressure policy and instead foster “analysis paralysis” among experts. It also means that absent any evidence of design similarities, or better yet, Iranian components found in debris or wreckage, the next best thing analysts and policymakers may have to go off to discern Iran’s hand abroad are regime capabilities and intentions. To that effect, in January, the commander of the IRGC-AF, Amir-Ali Hajizadeh, bragged that “Gaza and Lebanon are on the frontlines of this war, and whatever you see in terms of missile [rocket] capability in Gaza and Lebanon has taken place with the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” Earlier in 2014, Hajizadeh’s deputy likened Iran’s support for local production to teaching a man to fish. “The policies of the Islamic Republic in supporting the resistance forces and the resistance front are to empower them to manufacture and produce their own products,” he added.

Shifts in posture, to include self-sufficiency, should not be surprising for scholars of the Iran threat network. When tough international sanctions were levied against Lebanese Hezbollah’s patron in the mid-2000s, the group deepened its involvement in narcotrafficking operations to offset the economic strain on Iran. More recently, according to the Israeli Defense Forces, Iran has shifted to trafficking smaller components and other systems across a land corridor in the Middle East when it failed to transfer entire systems. Iran has also bragged about building missile factories in Syria, some of which have been exposed or went up in smoke due to Israeli airstrikes. But Tehran has not been deterred. Adaptability is one reason why forty-one years on, the Islamic Republic continues to pose a potent regional threat.

Posted For Fair Use
nationalinterest.org

Redefining Iran’s Role in its Latest ‘Shadow War’ Against Israel

As Iran works to make its proxies more militarily self-sufficient, opportunities for weapons interception will be reduced and claims of attribution against Tehran will become harder.
nationalinterest.org nationalinterest.org
 
Vulture45-70

Vulture45-70

Veteran Member
Talk, Talk, Talk, Talk, Talk and keep on talking. Talk is cheap, Go into Gaza, Kick their ass, Annex Gaza to Israel, reinforce gaza borders then kill everyone that is left that crosses the gaza border. If no one is going to do anything then Shut The F----k up
 
N

northern watch

TB Fanatic
Hezbollah leader: Breach of Jerusalem means regional war
The leader of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group says any violations of Jerusalem and the sites holy to Muslims and Christians would lead to a regional war

By The Associated Press
25 May 2021, 13:14


FILE - In this May 15, 2021, file photo, Lebanese wave Hezbollah and Palestinian flags, as they stand in front of the Israeli town of Metula, background, on the Lebanese side of the Lebanese-Israeli border in the southern village of Kfar Kila, Lebano

Image Icon
The Associated Press
FILE - In this May 15, 2021, file photo, Lebanese wave Hezbollah and Palestinian flags, as they stand in front of the Israeli town of Metula, background, on the Lebanese side of the Lebanese-Israeli border in the southern village of Kfar Kila, Lebanon. Lebanon's Hezbollah militia looms large over the current Israel-Hamas war, even though it has stayed out of the fighting so far. Hezbollah's firepower is far greater than that of Gaza's Hamas rulers, and Israel keeps a wary eye on its northern border for any signs Hezbollah might get off the sidelines. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)

BEIRUT -- The leader of Lebanon’s militant group Hezbollah said Tuesday any violations of Jerusalem and the sites holy to Muslims and Christians would lead to a regional war.

Speaking for the first time since the cease-fire ending the 11-day war between Hamas and Israel, Hassan Nasrallah said Gaza’s militant groups have proved that no one can sit idle when Israel attacks the holy sites or tries to undermine the Palestinians' right to the city.

Even from besieged Gaza and with limited capabilities and home-made rockets, Hamas and other groups responded to what he called Israeli violations and attacks outside of territory it controlled, Nasrallah said. He described it as a great victory that paralyzed the Israeli state.

The war was triggered by weeks of clashes in Jerusalem between Israeli police and Palestinian protesters in and around the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a site revered by Jews and Muslims.

The site has seen several outbreaks of violence between Israelis and Palestinians over the years. The protests were directed at Israel’s policing of the area during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers

“The Israelis must understand that breaching the holy city and al-Aqsa mosque and sanctuaries won’t stop at Gaza resistance,” Nasrallah said during his 100-minute speech.

Nasrallah was speaking on the 21st anniversary of Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon after a protracted war, characterized by roadside bombs and sniper attacks.

Hezbollah’s shadow loomed large during Israel and Hamas’ 11-day battle in Gaza, with the possibility it could unleash its arsenal of missiles — far more powerful than Hamas’ — in support of the Palestinians. But the Iran-backed group remained on the sidelines.

Daily protests, including by members of Hezbollah and Palestinians in Lebanon, took place along the frontier with Israel in solidarity with Gaza. One Hezbollah member was killed when Israel opened fire to push back against protesters who tried to break through the volatile frontier.

Nasrallah added: “Jerusalem means a regional war. All the resistance movements cannot stand by and watch this happening if the holy city is in real, grave danger.”

Hezbollah leader: Breach of Jerusalem means regional war - ABC News (go.com)
 
jward

jward

passin' thru

Lee Smith
@LeeSmithDC


Great stuff here — top Middle East analyst
@Doranimated
speaks with the awesome
@JanJekielek
about China's strategy in the Middle East. Hint: it's Iran.
Michael Doran on the Hamas–Israeli Conflict and Communist China’s Ambitions in the Middle East


“When I started to think about what the Middle East looked like from Beijing, the place suddenly looked very different.”
The Chinese Communist Party is seeking to, step by step, dominate the Middle East, says Hudson Institute senior fellow Michael Doran—from building ports in strategic locations to expanding its naval presence in the region.
“They’re positioning themselves to be able to threaten the two major chokepoints for energy in the region,” Doran says. And they’re building a strategic alliance with Iran.
And while the world’s eyes are fixed on the Hamas–Israeli conflict, Iran is “piggybacking” on the conflict to weaken Israel, says Doran.
Subscribe to the American Thought Leaders mailing list so you never miss an episode.
You can also follow us on Parler, Facebook, or YouTube. If you’d like to donate to support our work, you can do so here.
Follow Jan on Twitter: @JanJekielek


Michael Doran on the Hamas–Israeli Conflict and Communist China’s Ambitions in the Middle East
Click to expand...
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
A Military Assessment of the Israel-Hamas Conflict
by Grant Rumley, Neri Zilber

May 25, 2021

About the Authors

Grant Rumley

Grant Rumley
Grant Rumley is a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where he specializes in military and security affairs in the Middle East.

Zilber_Neri_press.jpg

Neri Zilber
Neri Zilber, a journalist and analyst on Middle East politics and culture, is an adjunct fellow of The Washington Institute.



Brief Analysis

Both sides employed new methods in this round, and while Israel’s were more effective in military terms, the true measure of success will depend on how quickly Hamas can rebuild its warfighting capabilities and exploit any political gains.

After eleven days of fighting, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza under Egyptian auspices. By most measures, this round of escalation was the worst since 2014. Over 240 Palestinians and 12 Israelis were reportedly killed; the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also maintain that at least 200 Gazan militants were killed, including 25 senior Hamas commanders.

Whereas previous confrontations were driven by Hamas demands for economic relief or a loosening of Israeli restrictions around Gaza, this round was fueled by the group’s apparent desire to assert its leadership over the Palestinian cause. On the heels of canceled legislative elections and Jerusalem protests, Hamas saw an opportunity to cast itself as the holy city’s protector at the expense of its Fatah rivals. And once intercommunal unrest and clashes broke out inside Israel and the West Bank, the group believed it had a chance to enflame the entire Palestinian arena.

The military showdown began when Hamas fired rockets at Jerusalem on May 10. In response, Israel sought to severely degrade the military capabilities of both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in order to restore long-term deterrence and relative quiet on its southern flank. To achieve these objectives, the IDF’s “Operation Guardian of the Walls” employed a more aggressive approach than previous rounds of fighting. Israel now aims to prevent Hamas from rearming, though how it will square that goal with Gaza’s urgent humanitarian needs remains an open question. For their part, Gaza militants also employed their forces in novel ways, with mixed results.

Hamas/PIJ Tactical Changes
Hamas and PIJ used their extensive arsenals to fire rockets at an unprecedented pace and range, often launching dozens at a time at the same target from different locations in Gaza in an attempt to saturate Israel’s Iron Dome defense system. This included constant barrages against the greater Tel Aviv metropolitan area, particularly during the first week of hostilities. In all, 4,300 rockets were launched (of which over 600 fell in Gaza). Over eleven days of conflict, this averages out to around 390 launches daily, compared to approximately 650 total rockets fired over twenty-two days in 2008-2009 (29 per day), 1,500 over eight days in 2012 (187 per day), and more than 4,500 spread out over fifty days in 2014 (90 per day).

This saturation tactic achieved only limited success, however, since improvements to Iron Dome largely negated the heavier barrages. According to the IDF, the system maintained a 90 percent interception rate against rockets headed to Israeli population centers—comparable to (if not slightly better than) previous rounds that involved lighter fire. Militant efforts to target strategic infrastructure (e.g., offshore natural gas platforms; the Dimona nuclear facility) failed as well. The sole exception was an early strike that hit a gas pipeline near Ashkelon. Strikes against Israel’s two largest airports did not find their mark either, though many foreign flights were canceled or rerouted, and Ben Gurion International was sporadically closed.

Other Hamas efforts to achieve tactical surprise were almost wholly unsuccessful. Various unmanned aerial vehicles were rigged up to drop bombs or act as suicide drones, but Israeli air defenses shot them down. Small, unmanned submarines were laden with up to 30 kilograms of ordnance in order to target ships and gas platforms, but the Israeli Navy and Air Force destroyed them just prior to launch. Hamas special forces (“Nukhba”) attempted to infiltrate Israel via cross-border tunnels, but they were detected by intelligence assets, barred by an extensive underground concrete barrier, and interdicted by airstrikes. The group’s only nominal operational success came through its deployment of antitank missile squads, who on three occasions fired at Israeli civilians and military personnel in the Gaza border region, killing one soldier.

Hamas also issued direct calls for Arab Israelis and West Bank Palestinians to join the fighting, which helped fuel unprecedented popular unrest inside Israel. This violence was ultimately contained through a massive Israeli police and Shin Bet operation at home, as well as a near doubling of IDF battalions in the West Bank. Ongoing security coordination between Israel and the Palestinian Authority also helped maintain stability. Yet while the situation did not turn into a complete uprising like Hamas had hoped, the fact that the group was able to connect the fighting in Gaza with the wider Palestinian arena could have major strategic implications should hostilities break out again.

Israeli Operational and Tactical Changes
Israel introduced new tactics and operational concepts based on a plan developed by the former head of IDF Southern Command, Maj. Gen. Herzi Halevy. A component of the IDF “Victory Doctrine” recently instituted by Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, the new plan for any Gaza conflict was to bring mass firepower to bear through the coordination of the joint forces, and to do so faster and with more pinpoint intelligence than previously seen, all toward the goal of overwhelming the enemy and quickly restoring long-term deterrence. Israeli strategists have also made clear that the severe response toward Hamas was at least partly intended to deter Hezbollah and Iran from any future, similar aggression.

Toward these ends, the IDF showed an immediate willingness to target senior militant commanders in their homes and installations, including brigade commanders and rocket specialists. It also targeted certain multistory buildings, arguing that they were being used for intelligence, weapons R&D, and command-and-control purposes. These latter targets were given advance warning and evacuated ahead of airstrikes; according to the IDF, Hamas used this time to remove technological equipment (e.g., hard drives).

The IDF also maintains that airstrikes and other operations severely degraded Hamas and PIJ’s domestic rocket production ability, though the true extent of the damage will be measured by how quickly militants can reconstitute their workshops and other program components. Prior to the hostilities, the IDF estimated that the two groups had approximately 13,000-15,000 rockets in their combined arsenal, the vast majority produced locally.

In addition, Israel made a concerted effort to cripple Hamas’s extensive tunnel system inside Gaza, not just cross-border attack tunnels as in 2014. This system—which Israeli officials dub “the metro” and describe as hundreds of kilometers in length—is the linchpin of the group’s entire warfighting concept, used to rapidly deploy Hamas fighters and rockets underground for both offensive and defensive operations. Israeli officials report that over multiple days, airstrikes destroyed some 100 kilometers of this network, though here, too, the true extent of the damage can only be assessed in the future.
More broadly, the IDF order of battle was sufficient to handle threats on multiple fronts—Gaza, the West Bank, and sporadic rocket fire from Lebanon and Syria. Only around 7,000 IDF reservists had to be called up, primarily to support intelligence and Iron Dome capabilities. Yet containing the unrest inside Israel required the Border Police to call up twenty platoons’ worth of reservists, buttressing the nine companies redeployed from the West Bank (which shifted from IDF command to national police command once back inside Israel).

Strategic Implications
As in previous rounds, Israel and Hamas will almost assuredly try to spin their military achievements into larger strategic gains. Hamas’s gains will be especially difficult to quantify this time because its objectives were largely political. Some of the consequences are clear—Hamas once again went toe-to-toe with the Middle East’s strongest military and survived, launched rockets at a greater rate and range than any other Israeli adversary, upended daily life in Israel as far north as Netanya, and likely boosted its status among many Arab Israelis and West Bank Palestinians. Yet the group also demonstrated its usual willingness to sacrifice the welfare of Gazans in order to advance its own objectives.

Now that a ceasefire has been reached, the international pressure for reconstruction will likely be immense. What is less certain, however, is whether Israel will acquiesce to loosening restrictions on materials entering Gaza as it did after the 2014 conflict. Hamas has visibly improved its military capabilities following every round of fighting, so Israel may no longer be willing to maintain its “quiet for quiet” policy in Gaza if doing so allows the group to once again build up its capabilities unchecked. As Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed, “What was in the past will no longer be in the future.”

In short, the prospect of another round of fighting remains the same as it did after 2009, 2012, and 2014, barring a fundamental change in Gaza’s balance of power. Israel and other parties may therefore wind up judging the success or failure of this operation based on how many years it delays another war.

Grant Rumley is a senior fellow at The Washington Institute. Neri Zilber is a journalist based in Tel Aviv and an adjunct fellow with the Institute.

Posted for fair use
www.washingtoninstitute.org

A Military Assessment of the Israel-Hamas Conflict

Both sides employed new methods in this round, and while Israel’s were more effective in military terms, the true measure of success will depend on how quickly Hamas can rebuild its warfighting capabilities and exploit any political gains.
www.washingtoninstitute.org www.washingtoninstitute.org
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
Jerusalem Post
arrow-areucle.svg
Breaking News

BREAKING NEWS

Hamas's Sinwar: We have 10,000 terrorists within Israel
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
MAY 26, 2021 17:52

Hamas leader in Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar, warned on Wednesday that the terrorist group has 10,000 terrorists within Israel who are "ready to respond" if Jerusalem is harmed, in his first speech since Operation Guardian of the Walls.

Sinwar added that Hamas planned to fire 300 rockets at once, with 150 being fired towards Tel Aviv, shortly before the ceasefire came into effect, but decided not to in respect of the Egyptian and Qatari mediators.

Despite reports that Israeli strikes destroyed much of Hamas's tunnel network (known as the "Metro"), the terrorist leader claimed that the movement has over 500 km of tunnels in Gaza and that not even 5% of the tunnels were impacted by the strikes. The entire Gaza Strip has an area of 365 square kilometers.

"The occupation has failed to destroy the Hamas metro," said Sinwar, according to Palestinian media.

Sinwar denied reports that Israel had succeeded in tricking Gaza terrorist groups into thinking it was about to launch a ground invasion in order to drive them into tunnels, claiming that Hamas's intelligence is "familiar with the enemy's plans and knew that there would be no ground invasion."

The Hamas leader stressed that al-Aqsa and Jerusalem are a "red line" and warned that the situation after the operation is not the same as it was beforehand.

posted for fair use
www.jpost.com

Hamas's Sinwar: We have 500 km of tunnels in Gaza, only 5% were damaged

“We are ready for the great battle, if the enemy commits a great folly in Jerusalem and the holy sites," Sinwar said in his first speech since Operation Guardian of the Walls.
www.jpost.com www.jpost.com
 
WildDaisy

WildDaisy

God has a plan, Trust it!
There is a reason the US isnt mentioned specifically in End Times. We will be unable or unwilling (or BOTH) to do anything about Israel. There will be no other reason for her miraculous victory except God himself. It won't be able to be explained away.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top