Israel SitRep: January 6, 2025

Today’s Issue: | IDF Troops Withdraw From Parts of Southern Lebanon | Three Killed, Eight Wounded in West Bank Terrorist Attack | Israeli Finance Ministry Offers Incentives to Northern Residents to Return Home | Four Minors From Israel’s Triangle Area Indicted in Terror Plots | Latest FDD Analysis  

IDF Troops Withdraw From Parts of Southern Lebanon: On Monday, Itay Blumental, military correspondent for Israel’s channel 11, reported that IDF forces have withdrawn in the past few hours from the western sector in southern Lebanon, including Naqoura and other areas, before the end of the 60-day ceasefire. This is the most significant IDF withdrawal since the signing of the ceasefire agreement. Last night, Israeli government officials approved an IDF withdrawal from southern Lebanon, which is taking place during the visit by American envoy Amos Hochstein to Beirut. The withdrawal is being coordinated with the American officials overseeing the ceasefire. The Lebanese army is preparing to redeploy near the border. Blumental also posted footage of the Lebanese military entering Naqoura.

Three Killed, Eight Wounded in West Bank Terrorist Attack: Three Israelis were killed Monday morning in a terrorist attack in the West Bank, near the Arab village of Al-Funduq. According to an initial IDF investigation, three terrorists from the Jenin area shot at a car, killing two women, then fired at a bus, wounding eight, including the 63-year-old driver, who was wounded seriously. While the gunmen were attacking the bus, an armed civilian shot back, causing them to return to their car and leave the scene. As they were fleeing, they shot at another car, killing a police officer, later identified as Master Sgt. Elad Yaakov Winkelstein, 35, an investigator at the Ariel police station. His 10-year-old son was with him in the car but was not harmed. The two women killed were later identified as Aliza Reis, 70, and Rachel Cohen, 73. At least two of the three terrorists were wanted by Israel prior to the attack. All live in the Jenin area.

Israeli Finance Ministry Offers Incentives to Northern Residents to Return Home: On Sunday, Israel’s Finance Ministry presented a plan to encourage residents of northern Israel to return home by early March. According to the 3.4 billion-shekel ($936 million) plan, each adult returning by March 7 will receive a grant of 15,360 shekels ($4,230), and each child will receive half that amount (7,680 shekels, or $2,114). Those returning after March 7 will receive less, with the grant being halved each month, and after June 2, returning adults will receive $526, while returning children will receive $263. The plan also includes compensation for damage to homes and property that occurred as a result of the residents’ absence, with each adult receiving 10,000 shekels ($2,750) and each child half that. Residents will be compensated separately for damage caused directly by the war regardless of their return date, based on an evaluation of each individual situation.

Four Minors From Israel’s Triangle Area Indicted in Terror Plots: The Israel Police announced on Monday that two terrorist plots have been uncovered involving residents of the triangle area in central Israel. In the first case, three minors were arrested on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activity conducted with terror operatives in the Nur Shams refugee camp, near Tulkarem in the West Bank. The suspects, who say they are members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, photographed themselves holding weapons belonging to the terror operatives from Nur Shams. One of them attempted to interfere with counterterror operations in the camp, and two of them planned to become “martyrs.” One was involved in selling ammunition to West Bank residents and received instruction in producing IEDs. In a separate case, another minor, also a triangle resident, was arrested on suspicion that he intended to carry out an Islamic State-inspired terrorist attack. The police say he swore allegiance to the group, and while he later changed his mind, he did online searches for information on manufacturing IEDs, on Islamic State terrorist attacks in Israel, and on Islamic law and the killing of Jews. He also bought a Carlo submachine gun and sold it to someone else. All four of the minors were indicted today.

Latest FDD Analysis:

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

“A Jihadi New Year,” Clifford D. May and Behnam Ben Taleblu, FDD’s Foreign Podicy

“The Shadow War,” Behnam Ben Taleblu, Lawfare

“Lebanon is not serious about disarming Hezbollah,” Hussain Abdul-Hussain, Asia Times

“World Bowls Tour Allows Israeli Participation, Reversing Previous Discriminatory Decision,” David May, FDD Policy Brief

“Palestinian Authority Bans Al Jazeera, Escalating Row with Qatari-Owned Network,” Natalie Ecanow, FDD Policy Brief

“Israel takes stock of military casualties over a year of war,” Seth J. Frantzman, FDD’s Long War Journal

“Biden Weighs Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Facilities Should Tehran Dash for Bomb,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief

“Israel Attempts to Lure Back International Airlines as Long-Term Flight Cancellations Continue,” FDD Experts, FDD Flash Brief