Israel SitRep: September 23, 2024

Today’s Issue: | IDF Calls on Residents of Southern Lebanon to Evacuate Buildings With Hezbollah Weapons | IDF Warns Beqaa Valley Residents: We Are Preparing To Attack Shortly | Rambam Hospital in Haifa Moves Patients to Underground Facility | In West Bank Operations, Israeli Forces Seize Weaponry and Terrorist Funds and Arrest Wanted Persons | Latest FDD Analysis

IDF Calls on Residents of Southern Lebanon to Evacuate Buildings With Hezbollah Weapons: On Monday morning, after the IDF launched new airstrikes against Hezbollah, IDF Arabic-language spokesman Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee called on residents of Lebanese villages who live in buildings where Hezbollah stores its weapons to leave immediately, stating: “This is an urgent appeal.” Adraee also posted an animated video with a similar message. In addition, residents of the Beqaa and southern Lebanon received messages reading, “If you are in a building that has Hezbollah weapons, stay away from it until further notice.” In a Monday morning press briefing, IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari also issued an evacuation warning. During the briefing, he showed a video of a cruise missile, the Russian-made DR-3, which Hezbollah members were preparing to fire from within a home in a village in southern Lebanon. By mid-day Monday, the IDF had struck more than 300 Hezbollah targets.

IDF Warns Beqaa Valley Residents: We Are Preparing To Attack Shortly: On Monday afternoon, IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari issued a more specific warning to residents of the Beqaa Valley to evacuate, stating: “We are preparing to attack terrorist targets in the areas of the Beqaa Valley shortly. Hezbollah is storing strategic weapons in civilian buildings there and is using the population as human shields and knowingly endangering it.” According to the announcement, “We are constantly using aerial means and intelligence to locate weapons, to destroy them, and to remove the threat they pose to Israel’s citizens while minimizing harm to the civilian population in Lebanon to the extent possible.” Hagari continued: “I am warning the residents of Lebanon in the villages in the Beqaa Valley, this is a targeted warning for the villages in the Beqaa. Residents who are near or inside of homes in which missiles and [other] weapons are being stored — move away immediately for your safety and protection.” IDF Arabic-language spokesman Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee issued a similar warning as well.

Rambam Hospital in Haifa Moves Patients to Underground Facility: With Hezbollah attacks escalating in Israel’s north, hospitals in the area have been moving their facilities underground. On Sunday, the Health Ministry directed Rambam Hospital, the largest hospital in northern Israel, to move patients underground to protect them from Hezbollah attacks, which struck the Haifa area on Sunday. Following the Second Lebanon War in 2006, Rambam spent 435 million shekels ($115 million) to ensure that the parking lot could be turned into a hospital with more than 2,000 beds if the Haifa area came under attack. The hospital began moving 700 patients underground on Sunday and discharged close to 200 patients with less serious conditions in order to free up beds. Hospitals in the north have canceled elective surgeries. Since October 7, the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya, near the Lebanese border, has been operating in an underground complex.

In West Bank Operations, Israeli Forces Seize Weaponry and Terrorist Funds and Arrest Wanted Persons: The IDF reported on Monday that during activity in Hebron in the West Bank, the IDF, Israel Police, and Civil Administration seized four lathes used to produce weapons. In Beita, a Carlo submachine gun and weapons parts were confiscated. In Anata, a wanted man was arrested with guidance from the Shin Bet, and some 100,000 shekels ($26,500) in terrorist funds were confiscated. In Al-Mughayyir, another wanted man was arrested. In the area of Al-Shuyukh, troops seized materials for preparing explosive devices, and in Al-Eizariya, Tekoa, and Bethlehem, six wanted persons were arrested and weapons parts, ammunition, and cartridges were seized.

Latest FDD Analysis:

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

“International Law and Disorder,” Clifford D. May, Orde Kittrie, and Natasha Hausdorff, FDD’s Foreign Podicy

“Iran ‘takes the win’ in the Middle East,” Behnam Ben Taleblu, The Hill

“Resuscitating Israel’s Destitute North Should Begin Now,” Enia Krivine, The Algemeiner

“Israel alone, Israel unbowed,” Ben Cohen, Jewish News Syndicate

“Israel’s communications attacks push Hezbollah into an uncomfortable corner,” David Daoud and Natalie Ecanow, MENASource

“The Israel vs. Hezbollah War of 2024 Is Getting Closer to Reality,” Seth J. Frantzman, The National Interest

“International donors are complicit in Hamas’ presence in Gaza – and key to its demise,” Seth J. Frantzman, The Jewish Chronicle

“Kiryat Shmona under Hezbollah rocket fire for 11 months of war,” Seth J. Frantzman, The Jerusalem Post

“Arab states watch Hezbollah deterrence weakened, Israeli deterrence restored,” Seth J. Frantzman, The Jerusalem Post

“Israel has turned the tables on Hezbollah, now what comes next?” Seth J. Frantzman, The Jerusalem Post