Israel SitRep: Nov. 1, 2023

Today’s Issue: Hezbollah Leader to Deliver Major Address on Friday | IDF Targets Hamas Stronghold in Western Jabaliya | Israel Intercepts Another Houthi Air Attack | Secretary Blinken Set to Visit Mideast | Latest FDD Analysis

Hezbollah Leader to Deliver Major Address on Friday: Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah is set to deliver a major public address on Friday, November 3 at 3:00 PM local time. It will be his first public address since the war began on October 7. Part of a ceremony to honor “the martyrs who died on the road to Jerusalem” — i.e. those killed in action in the current war — the speech may be a prelude to a major escalation of Hezbollah attacks across Israel’s northern border. Alternately, it may constitute an attempt by Nasrallah to justify Hezbollah’s avoidance of an all-out war with Israel despite its ideological solidarity with Hamas.

IDF Targets Hamas Stronghold in Western Jabaliya: On October 31, infantry and armor units under the command of the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF’s) Givati Brigade assaulted a command facility in Jabaliya that Hamas has used to train and prepare for terror operations, according to the IDF. Relatedly, Israeli airstrikes targeted and killed Ibrahim Biari, commander of Hamas’s central Jabaliya battalion, whom the IDF identified as one of the leaders directly responsible for the October 7 massacre. The IDF also said Biari was responsible for a lethal attack on the Israeli city of Ashdod in 2004. Fifteen Israeli troops lost their lives during the day’s operations, 11 of them when an anti-tank guided missile hit a Namer armored personnel carrier.

Israel Intercepts Another Houthi Air Attack: In the overnight hours between October 31 and November 1, Israeli air defense units intercepted an aerial threat over the Red Sea south of Eilat. There was no penetration of Israeli territory, according to the IDF. The incident follows one the previous day in which the IDF’s Arrow system intercepted a surface-to-surface missile fired by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Following that incident, IDF spokesman Adm. Daniel Hagari said the Houthis “are trying to challenge us and distract us from the war in Gaza,” but “We remain focused on the war in Gaza.”

Secretary Blinken Set to Visit Mideast: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Israel on Friday with as part of a larger tour that includes stops in Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. It will be his second visit to Israel since the war began. In Senate testimony on Thursday, Blinken said there cannot be a “reversion [to] the status quo with Hamas running Gaza.” Instead, “At some point, what would make the most sense would be for an effective and revitalized Palestinian Authority to have governance and ultimately security responsibility for Gaza.”

Latest FDD Analysis:

“How Biden Should Handle Missiles from Yemen,” Jonathan Schanzer, Commentary

“A U.S. Ultimatum for Qatar: Stop Sheltering Hamas,” Richard Goldberg, The Wall Street Journal

“Islamism is a failed ideology. Muslims must embrace the West,” Hussain Abdul-Hussain, The Telegraph

“HispanTV Is Iran’s Propaganda Arm in Latin America; Why Is It Still Being Broadcast?” Emanuele Ottolenghi and Marina Rosenberg, The Algemeiner

“Profiles of 15 Iranian-Backed Militias,” Bill Roggio and Joe Truzman, FDD Visual

“Houthis launch third strike against Israel, threaten more attacks,” Joe Truzman and Bill Roggio, FDD’s Long War Journal

“Drone Fragment Offers Clue About Russia’s Shahed-136 Production Rate,” John Hardie, FDD’s Long War Journal

“Iran-backed militias continue to attack U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria,” Bill Roggio, FDD’s Long War Journal

“Hezbollah Introduces New Missiles Into Conflict With Israel,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“China Pledges Closer Iran Ties Amidst Middle East Instability,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“U.S. Seeks to Help Americans Leave Gaza,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Israel Activates Arrow Defense System Against Houthi Missile Over Red Sea,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief