Israel SitRep: June 14, 2024

Today’s Issue: IDF Concludes 13-Hour Counterterror Operation in Jenin | IDF Continues Operations in Southern and Central Gaza, Eliminates Terrorist, Destroys Explosive Devices | Nahal Brigade Operates in Rafah, Killing Terrorists, Finding Weapons, Directing Airstrikes | COGAT: Over One Billion Pounds of Food Entered Gaza Since War Began | Latest FDD Analysis

IDF Concludes 13-Hour Counterterror Operation in Jenin: The IDF on Thursday concluded a 13-hour counterterrorism operation in Jenin in the West Bank carried out by soldiers from the Border Police, Haruv reconnaissance unit, and Duvdevan special forces unit, with intelligence from the Shin Bet and Aman military intelligence. During the operation, troops fought gun battles and arrested a number of suspects, and engineering forces uncovered explosives buried under roads. The Duvdevan fighters used the “pressure cooker” method on a building in which two senior wanted men were located — a series of escalating measures designed to force the men out of the building. The men were killed in an exchange of fire with the soldiers, which included the firing of shoulder-launched missiles at the building, and weapons were found on their bodies. One IDF soldier was lightly injured in the exchanges of fire. Later, Palestinian Islamic Jihad announced that Muhammad Jaber Shalabi and Muhammed Asri Fayyad, both members of its Jenin Brigade’s military council, were killed on Thursday in an Israeli raid.

IDF Continues Operations in Southern and Central Gaza, Eliminates Terrorist, Destroys Explosive Devices: The IDF on Friday reported that the 162nd Division is continuing its operations in the Rafah area in southern Gaza, noting that in the past day, troops eliminated a number of terrorists and found a large quantity of weapons and tunnel shafts. Nahal Brigade soldiers destroyed several explosive devices as well as Hamas terror infrastructures. Soldiers from the Maglan commando unit, using a drone, located a terrorist moving toward them and called in a drone strike, which killed the man. In central Gaza, the 99th Division is continuing operations. In the Gaza City district of Gaza City district of Zeitoun, soldiers from the Alexandroni Brigade spotted a number of terrorists in a military building and called in an airstrike. In addition, an Israeli Air Force drone struck a terrorist cell identified by soldiers from the 8th Armored Brigade.

Nahal Brigade Operates in Rafah, Killing Terrorists, Finding Weapons, Directing Airstrikes: On Friday, the IDF published a report on Nahal Brigade operations in Rafah, noting that soldiers are killing terrorists, locating tunnel shafts, and finding weapons including hand grenades, IEDs, rockets, AK-47s, cartridges, and combat vests. During searches, Nahal soldiers found holes in the walls of houses created by Hamas operatives to enable them to move between homes in crowded neighborhoods. Nahal Brigade soldiers directed Israeli Air Force strikes on terrorist infrastructures in the area. An IAF fighter jet struck a building, causing a large number of secondary explosions, indicating the presence of explosives in the building. The report includes footage of Nahal Brigade operations in Rafah, footage showing the holes made in the walls of homes, and footage of the airstrike on the building with explosives.

COGAT: Over One Billion Pounds of Food Entered Gaza Since War Began: On Thursday, COGAT, the Israeli entity coordinating humanitarian aid for Gaza, announced that “over ONE BILLION pounds of food were transferred to Gaza since the start of the war.” The aid entering Gaza includes 508,645 tons of food, 39,015 tons of water, 24,335 tons of medical supplies, 66,885 tons of shelter equipment, 375 tanks of fuel, and 609 tanks of cooking gas. On Thursday, 220 aid trucks entered Gaza, 190 through the Kerem Shalom crossing and 30 through the Erez West crossing. According to COGAT, UN aid agencies collected only 70 trucks on Thursday, and the contents of 1,000 trucks are awaiting collection from the Gaza side of Kerem Shalom.

Latest FDD Analysis:

Today at 8:30am (ET): “FDD Morning Brief,” featuring Jonathan Schanzer and Firas Maksad, FDD Event

“Is Israeli-Saudi normalization end or means?” Hussain Abdul-Hussain, Asia Times

“Israel faces major Hezbollah escalation as Rafah battle continues,” Seth J. Frantzman, FDD’s Long War Journal

“Hezbollah Maintains Rocket Barrage From Lebanon as IDF Dismantles Hamas Terror Sites in Gaza,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“UN Equates Israel With Hamas in ‘Children in Armed Conflict’ Blacklist,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Israel SitRep: June 13, 2024,” FDD Experts, FDD Israel at War Situation Report