Israel SitRep: August 30, 2024

Today’s Issue: | Israeli Forces Eliminate Wissam Hazem, Head of Hamas in Jenin | IDF Troops Kill Dozens of Terrorists in Rafah; IAF Strikes Some 30 Terror Targets | IDF Concludes Operation in Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah Area | IDF’s 91st Galilee Division Conducts Drill With Other Security Forces, Preparing for War in North | Latest FDD Analysis

Israeli Forces Eliminate Wissam Hazem, Head of Hamas in Jenin: On Friday morning, during Israel’s operation in northern Samaria in the West Bank, IDF, Shin Bet, and Border Police forces identified a terrorist squad in a car in the Jenin area, led by Wissam Hazem, head of Hamas in Jenin. Guided by intelligence from the Shin Bet, Border Police commandos killed Hazem in an exchange of fire. The IDF says that Hazem was involved in carrying out and directing shooting attacks and attacks with explosives in the West Bank. Not long after, an IDF drone strike eliminated two terrorists who were attempting to flee from the car. Maysarah Masharqah and Arafat Amer, Hamas operatives working under Hazem, were involved in shooting attacks at Israeli communities near the West Bank security barrier. A pistol, an M-16 rifle, explosives, cartridges, gas grenades, and tens of thousands of shekels were found in the car and on the bodies of the men. The Border Police later released footage of the exchange of fire.

IDF Troops Kill Dozens of Terrorists in Rafah; IAF Strikes Some 30 Terror Targets: On Friday, the IDF reported that in the past day, troops from the 162nd Division eliminated dozens of terrorists in Rafah in southern Gaza and found a large quantity of weapons. After Nahal Brigade soldiers spotted a group of terrorists in the area, an Israeli Air Force drone strike killed them. Troops from the 98th Division used artillery fire against the area from which rockets were launched on Thursday toward Kibbutz Kissufim, located near the Gaza border, and an Israeli Air Force drone struck the building from which the rockets were launched. The IAF has hit some 30 terror targets in Gaza in the past day, including weapons depots, military buildings, launchers, and terror infrastructures. In Rafah, an IAF drone strike killed a terrorist squad.

IDF Concludes Operation in Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah Area: The IDF on Friday announced the completion of the 98th Division’s operation in Khan Younis in southern Gaza and in the area of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, which lasted about a month. During the operation, troops killed more than 250 terrorists and destroyed dozens of terror infrastructures. Soldiers from the 7th Brigade, the paratroopers, and the Yahalom combat engineering unit destroyed about six tunnels, finding weapons and eliminating terrorists in some of them. The 7th Brigade, fighting in Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah, found weapons and destroyed dozens of combat compounds. In a raid on a Hamas outpost in the Deir al-Balah area, the 77th Battalion found a rocket launcher along with intelligence documents and weapons. Paratroopers fought in the Hamad Town neighborhood of Khan Younis and the eastern neighborhoods of the city. In a joint operation with troops from the Yahalom unit, they recovered the bodies of six hostages from a Hamas tunnel in Hamad Town: Yagev Buchshtab, 35; Nadav Popplewell, 51; Alex Dancyg, 75; Avraham Munder, 78; Chaim Peri, 79; and Yoram Metzger, 80.

IDF’s 91st Galilee Division Conducts Drill With Other Security Forces, Preparing for War in North: The IDF announced on Friday that the 91st Galilee Division held a drill on Monday in the eastern Galilee, together with police and other security forces and Magen David Adom, to increase preparedness in the north. In the drill, they practiced defensive scenarios and transitioning to an emergency situation. The announcement notes that the 91st Division is waging a defensive and offensive battle on the Lebanese border. The exercise was intended to improve the troops’ readiness and to drill them in firing capabilities, operational decisionmaking in the field, treatment and evacuation of the wounded, and cooperation between various bodies. The IDF has been conducting ongoing drills to prepare for a war in the north against Hezbollah.

Latest FDD Analysis:

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

“Deterring Iran’s Dash to the Bomb,” Orde Kittrie, Bradley Bowman, and Behnam Ben Taleblu, FDD Monograph

“Syria’s Assad Rebuffs Erdogan’s Effort to Normalize Ties,” Sinan Ciddi and Sophia Epley, FDD Policy Brief

“Hezbollah’s Beirut Airport Powder Keg,” Emanuele Ottolenghi, The National Interest

“Israeli military launches extensive operation against West Bank terrorist groups,” Joe Truzman, FDD’s Long War Journal

“IDF chief of staff visits Jordan Valley amid West Bank terror threats,” Seth J. Frantzman, FDD’s Long War Journal

“IDF Operation in Gaza Recovers Body of Soldier Abducted on October 7,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Israel, Hamas Agree to Reduce Clashes in Gaza to Enable Polio Vaccine Rollout,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Israel Eliminates Palestinian Islamic Jihad Commander in Tulkarem,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Israel Urges West to Shore Up Jordan Against Iran,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief