Israel SitRep: December 11, 2024

Today’s Issue: | IDF: Two Hamas Commanders Killed in Drone Strikes; We Will Act Decisively Against October 7 Terrorists | Israel Conducts More Than 350 Airstrikes in Syria Targeting Strategic Weapons, Destroys ‘Numerous Strategic Assets’ | Demolition Work Begins in Kibbutz Kfar Aza as Part of Reconstruction Plan | COGAT Update: 351 Aid Trucks Entered Gaza, 550 Truckloads Still Awaiting Collection | Latest FDD Analysis  

IDF: Two Hamas Commanders Killed in Drone Strikes; We Will Act Decisively Against October 7 Terrorists: The IDF announced on Wednesday that the army, together with the Shin Bet, eliminated Fahmi Salmi, the Hamas Nukhba Force commander who led the October 7 raid on the Pagah outpost, in which 14 IDF soldiers were killed. An Israeli Air Force drone killed Salmi, who was operating from a building that had previously served as the Al Falah school. The IDF says that during the war, Salmi led numerous attacks on its soldiers. Last week, the IDF and Shin Bet killed Salah Dahham, head of the Hamas paragliding unit, in a drone strike in the Jabalya area in northern Gaza. According to the military, Dahham led the Hamas “aerial infiltration” of southern Israeli communities on October 7 and was “a key part of Hamas’ murderous attacks on Israeli civilians.” The announcement added: “The IAF will continue to act decisively against Hamas terrorists who took part in the murderous massacre of October 7.”

Israel Conducts More Than 350 Airstrikes in Syria Targeting Strategic Weapons, Destroys ‘Numerous Strategic Assets’: The IDF on Tuesday published a summary of the strikes it carried out in Syria in the previous 48 hours, which it says hit “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles in Syria to prevent them from falling into the hands of terrorist elements.” According to the IDF, the strikes hit targets including airfields of the Syrian Air Force, anti-aircraft batteries, and dozens of weapons production sites in Damascus, Latakia, Homs, Palmyra, and Tartus. Israel destroyed dozens of sea-to-sea missiles, which the IDF says threatened both military and civilian maritime vessels. The missiles had “significant explosive payloads” and ranges of between 80 and 190 kilometers (50 to 120 miles). Israeli manned aircraft carried out more than 350 strikes, flying hundreds of hours over Syrian airspace, and Israeli Navy missile ships carried out simultaneous attacks on the Latakia and Al-Bayda ports, both of which are Syrian Navy facilities. The Israeli attacks destroyed “numerous strategic assets,” including fighter jets and attack helicopters; cruise missiles, surface-to-surface missiles, surface-to-sea missiles, surface-to-air missiles, and Scud missiles; and tanks, hangars, radars, and drones.

Demolition Work Begins in Kibbutz Kfar Aza as Part of Reconstruction Plan: Demolition work has begun in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, one of the communities hit hardest in the October 7 Hamas attacks, as part of the kibbutz reconstruction plan. The work will be funded by the Tekuma Directorate, established in the wake of the attacks to oversee reconstruction of Gaza border communities, which has allocated 180 million shekels ($48 million) for rebuilding the kibbutz. The plan calls for the restoration of some 40 public buildings, 360 residential buildings, and infrastructure damaged in the attack. It also includes construction of a new neighborhood with a 60-unit complex for young people and 55 single-family homes; paving of parking lots and roads; upgrading of recreation facilities; and development of open spaces.

COGAT Update: 351 Aid Trucks Entered Gaza, 550 Truckloads Still Awaiting Collection: On Wednesday, COGAT, the Israeli entity coordinating humanitarian aid for Gaza, published its latest aid update, noting that 351 aid trucks entered Gaza, 290 through the Kerem Shalom crossing and 61 through the Erez crossing. International organizations picked up the contents of 180 trucks from the Gaza side of Kerem Shalom, and 550 truckloads are still awaiting collection. One fuel tanker and six gas tankers entered Gaza on Tuesday, and three gas tankers and two ambulances went to northern Gaza through COGAT’s coordination. The announcement adds that between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. today, the IDF is pausing operations in the Al Tzachba neighborhood in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza to enable humanitarian aid to be moved.

Latest FDD Analysis:

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

“Qatar’s Corrupt Anti-Corruption Initiative,” Jonathan Schanzer and Natalie Ecanow, National Review

“Amnesty International’s False Genocide Claim,” Orde Kittrie, The Wall Street Journal

“Who liberated Damascus? Unpacking the Southern Operations Room’s emergence,” Ahmad Sharawi, FDD’s Long War Journal

“Don’t bet on the Lebanese Army to restrain Hezbollah,” David Daoud, FDD’s Long War Journal

“‘Everything Assad Got From Iran and Russia Has Been Destroyed’: Israel Ramps Up Attacks on Syria’s Arsenals,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Turkish-Backed Syrian National Army Seizes Manbij from U.S. Allied, Kurdish-Led Forces,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Australia Launches Antisemitism Task Force After Terrorist Arson Attack on Melbourne Synagogue,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief