Israel SitRep: December 16, 2024

Today’s Issue: | Security Forces Conduct Overnight Counterterror Operation, Seize Terrorist Funds, Arrest More Than 10 | 98th Division Operated in Southern Lebanon in Past Few Months, Maintaining Terms of Ceasefire | Israel Defense Ministry Completes Series of Deals With Defense Technology Company Elbit Systems| COGAT: 254 Humanitarian Aid Trucks Entered Gaza Sunday, 700 Truckloads Still Awaiting Collection | Latest FDD Analysis  

Security Forces Conduct Overnight Counterterror Operation, Seize Terrorist Funds, Arrest More Than 10: On Monday, the IDF announced that IDF soldiers, Border Police, and the Shin Bet carried out a counterterror operation overnight, arresting more than 10 in the area covered by the IDF’s Central Command, which includes the West Bank. Security forces seized more than a million shekels (about $280,000) in terrorist funds from a money changer in Jericho. In several villages, they seized thousands of shekels in terrorist funds, arrested three, and found a pistol and ammunition. In Rafidiya near Nablus, troops seized thousands of shekels in terrorist funds from a money changer, and in Salem, they arrested two. In the Hebron area and in northern Samaria, troops arrested eight and seized a pistol. Since the start of the war, more than 6,000 have been arrested in the Central Command’s area of responsibility, 2,350 of them Hamas members.

98th Division Operated in Southern Lebanon in Past Few Months, Maintaining Terms of Ceasefire: The IDF published a report on Sunday on operations by the 98th Division, including the Paratroopers Brigade, the 7th Armored Brigade’s combat teams, and the Commando Brigade, which have conducted several operations in the past three months in different areas of the south Lebanese villages of Odaisseh, Kafr Kila, Markaba, Khiam, Taybeh, and Rab Thalathin. The division has been operating in recent weeks against military targets in the Khiam area, which Hezbollah used as a major terror stronghold and from which thousands of projectiles were fired at Israel. During the operations, troops eliminated a large number of terrorists and destroyed more than 300 terrorist infrastructures. The IDF added that since the ceasefire began, troops from the 98th Division have continued operating in order to prevent Hezbollah from regrouping, to find weapons and terrorist infrastructures, and to remove threats to Israel, all “while maintaining the terms of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.” The 98th Division is preparing for new missions, but other IDF troops are continuing to operate in the area.

Israel Defense Ministry Completes Series of Deals With Defense Technology Company Elbit Systems: The Israel Defense Ministry’s Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D) announced on Monday that it has completed a series of deals with Israeli defense technology company Elbit Systems to supply the IDF with advanced communications systems. Under the terms of the deals, which are worth some half a billion shekels (about $130 million), Elbit will supply thousands of systems, including satellite communication systems, data links for autonomous platforms, and software-defined radio systems. The announcement notes that in the past year, the DDR&D, in collaboration with the IDF and Elbit Systems, “has developed innovative solutions for secure and encrypted communication adapted to the evolving needs of IDF units,” adding that “these are part of a strategic initiative … to strengthen manufacturing independence in Israeli industries and expand local production lines to support the IDF’s operational needs.”

COGAT: 254 Humanitarian Aid Trucks Entered Gaza Sunday, 700 Truckloads Still Awaiting Collection: On Monday, COGAT, the Israeli entity coordinating humanitarian aid for Gaza, published its aid update for Sunday, noting that 254 aid trucks entered Gaza yesterday, 212 through the Kerem Shalom crossing and 42 through the Erez crossing. International organizations collected the contents of 75 trucks from the Gaza side of Kerem Shalom, and some 700 trucks’ worth of aid is still awaiting collection. Six gas tankers entered Gaza on Sunday. In addition, two ambulances and a bus “for medical needs” entered northern Gaza yesterday. On Sunday, COGAT announced that in the previous week, 1,316 aid trucks with medical supplies, food, water, and shelter equipment entered Gaza. Also, more than 16 million pounds of flour for bakeries have entered Gaza so far this month.

Latest FDD Analysis:

Today at 8:30am (ET): “FDD Morning Brief,” featuring Jonathan Schanzer and RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, FDD Event

“Turning human rights upside down,” Ben Cohen, Jewish News Syndicate

“Assad’s Enemies Are Not Our Friends,” Bill Roggio and Will Selber, The Bulwark

“Iran never gave up on Assad; it simply failed to protect him,” Janatan Sayeh, FDD’s Long War Journal

“Turkey Brokers Agreement Between Ethiopia and Somalia, Denting Egypt’s Regional Standing,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“An ‘Assault on Women’s Rights’: UN Experts Call on Iran to Repeal Hijab Law,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“‘Peace, Development, and Mutual Understanding’: Paraguay Reopens Embassy in Israeli Capital Jerusalem,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Russia Negotiating With New Syrian Government to Keep Military Bases,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“‘Residents Must Live in Peace’: Palestinian Authority Launches Counterterrorism Operation in West Bank,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“‘We Can Always Look for Other Ways’: Key Iranian Supply Line to Hezbollah Broken After Assad Ouster,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

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