February 3, 2025 | Flash Brief
IDF Demolishes 23 Buildings Housing Terrorist Infrastructure in Jenin
February 3, 2025 | Flash Brief
IDF Demolishes 23 Buildings Housing Terrorist Infrastructure in Jenin
Latest Developments
- Terror Buildings Destroyed: The IDF said on February 2 that it had simultaneously destroyed 23 buildings that were housing terror infrastructure in the West Bank city of Jenin. Video published by Israel showed troops from the special forces combat engineering unit “Yahalom” assembling explosives for the controlled demolition, which the IDF gave advance notice of in a published statement.
- IDF Scanned Hundreds of Buildings in Jenin: Prior to setting off the demolition, the IDF searched “hundreds of buildings in Jenin,” where it found “explosives and weapons laboratories, weapons caches, observation posts,” and other terror infrastructure. Defense Minister Israel Katz reportedly instructed the IDF to demolish all buildings “incriminated” in terrorist activity during the operation.
- ‘Iron Wall’ Continues into Third Week: The IDF provided operational updates on its continued large-scale counterterrorism operation, “Iron Wall,” on February 2. To date, the IDF has killed over 50 terrorists and has arrested over 100 additional terrorists during the operation, which began January 21. The Palestinian Authority (PA), which recently conducted its own crackdown against Iran-backed terrorist groups in Jenin, condemned the IDF’s operation, calling the controlled demolition a “brutal scene.” PA President Mahmoud Abbas called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting on the matter, demanding an end to what he called Israel’s “systematic destruction of infrastructure.”
FDD Expert Response
“The IDF’s recent operations in Jenin and other areas of the West Bank are distinctly different from those conducted in the past. In addition to dismantling substantial infrastructure established by terrorist organizations, some broader tactics remain generally hidden from public scrutiny. Israeli forces are not only targeting physical assets but are also focusing on identifying sources of terror financing and arresting individuals who incite violence. Thus, the West Bank is undergoing some much-needed changes, but it remains to be seen if the IDF will be successful at eliminating terrorism in the territory.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal
“This demolition taking place during the day was no accident. It allowed for a clear and visible message to be sent to Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other Iran-backed terror groups to decrease their activity in the enclave. The ongoing raids are intended to clamp down on the attempt by these organizations to stockpile explosive devices and threaten the stability of the West Bank and Israel and will likely continue for some time.” — Seth J. Frantzman, Adjunct Fellow
FDD Background and Analysis
“During Ongoing Jenin Operation, IDF Eliminates Terrorists Who Killed Three Israelis,” FDD Flash Brief
“‘No Return of Terror’: IDF Deploys in Jenin Without End Date,” FDD Flash Brief
“‘Iron Wall’: Israel Swoops on West Bank in New War Goal,” FDD Flash Brief
“Profiles of 28 Iran-Backed Terrorist Groups and Branches in the West Bank,” by Joe Truzman