Israel SitRep: Jan. 19, 2024

Today’s Issue: IDF Completes 45-Hour Operation in Tulkarem Refugee Camp in West Bank | Iron Dome Intercepts Drone From Lebanon Over the Sea | IDF Soldiers in Khan Younis Kill Terrorists, Find Model of Israeli Tank | IDF Eliminates Wael Abu-Fanounah, Deputy Head of Propaganda for Palestinian Islamic Jihad | Latest FDD Analysis

IDF Completes 45-Hour Operation in Tulkarem Refugee Camp in West Bank: The IDF on Friday wrapped up its counter-terrorism operation in the Tulkarem Refugee Camp, which lasted for 45 hours. In the operation, IDF reserve forces, along with the Border Police, the Yamas anti-terror unit, and the Shin Bet, searched some 1,000 buildings, interrogated hundreds of suspects, arrested more than 37 wanted individuals, destroyed over 400 explosive devices, seized 27 weapons and a large amount of military equipment, and destroyed five laboratories for producing explosives. The IDF also operated in other West Bank locations, including Kalkilya, Hebron, and the Al-Arroub refugee camp.

Iron Dome Intercepts Drone From Lebanon Over the Sea: On Friday, a drone launched from Lebanon entered Israeli airspace and was shot down over the sea by Iron Dome. The IDF announced on Thursday that it struck Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in the Al-Adissa area of southern Lebanon. It also attacked Kafr Kila and Marjayoun after two projectiles, which landed in open areas, were fired from Lebanon at the village of Arab al-Aramshe in the Western Galilee. Also Thursday, three rockets from Syria landed in open areas in the Golan Heights, near the community of Yonatan. On Thursday, the IDF attacked Syrian army military structure after projectiles were fired at the Golan Heights from Syria.

IDF Soldiers in Khan Younis Kill Terrorists, Find Model of Israeli Tank: On Thursday, the IDF published a report about a raid carried out by Givati Brigade soldiers in Khan Younis, in the southernmost area in which the IDF has operated during the war. During the fighting, IDF forces killed dozens of terrorists with tank fire and air support. In a raid on the Shuhada (“Martyrs”) outpost of the Southern Battalion of Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade and the office of the battalion commander and other commanders, soldiers found numerous weapons and intelligence documents, including dozens of hand grenades, Kalashnikov rifles, ammunition, magazines, digging equipment, launchers, RPGs, explosive devices, and documents about the conduct of the war. In a raid on an outpost used as a training camp by the Khan Younis Brigade and a meeting place for senior Hamas officials, soldiers from the IDF’s 7th Armored Brigade found numerous weapons, along with a model of an Israeli tank. They also found tunnel shafts, numerous rocket launchers, and weapons, which they destroyed.

IDF Eliminates Wael Abu-Fanounah, Deputy Head of Propaganda for Palestinian Islamic Jihad: On Friday, the IDF announced the targeted killing of Wael Abu-Fanounah, deputy head of propaganda for Palestinian Islamic Jihad, in a raid by the Israeli Air Force, guided by the Shin Bet and Aman military intelligence. Fanounah, who was arrested in December 1989 and given three life sentences for terrorism, was released as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner deal in 2011. He was responsible for releasing videos of missiles shot at Israel and producing and publishing hostage videos as part of a psychological warfare campaign.

Latest FDD Analysis:

Today at 8:30am (ET): “FDD Morning Brief,” featuring Jonathan Schanzer and Gen. (Ret.) Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie, FDD Event

“Pakistan, a New War Front?” Jonathan Schanzer, Commentary

“The IDF’s competing priorities,” Joe Truzman and Bill Roggio, Generation Jihad (by FDD’s Long War Journal)

“IDF shifts focus from Gaza to Lebanon, West Bank,” Seth J. Frantzman, FDD’s Long War Journal

“Iranian Foreign Minister Acknowledges Directing Anti-Israel Axis,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Hezbollah Fires Rockets at Northern Israel as IDF Chief Warns of Escalation,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Israeli Baby Turns One in Hamas Captivity,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Israel Facilitates Humanitarian Aid to Gaza,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Israel SitRep: Jan. 18, 2024,” FDD Experts, FDD Israel at War Situation Report