Israel SitRep: February 5, 2025

Today’s Issue: | IDF Eliminates 55 Terrorists and Arrests 380 in West Bank Operations in January; Operations Are Continuing | Terrorist Who Attacked Yesterday at West Bank’s Tayasir Checkpoint Not Yet Identified by Israel | Israeli Defense Ministry Completes Testing of Counter-Drone Technologies | Otzma Yehudit Introduces Bill Offering Financial Incentives for Residents of Gaza to Leave | Latest FDD Analysis

IDF Eliminates 55 Terrorists and Arrests 380 in West Bank Operations in January; Operations Are Continuing: The IDF on Tuesday published an update on its counterterrorism operations in the West Bank, where it eliminated 55 terrorists and arrested 380 in January. According to the report, some of the 55 were involved in attacks in which Israeli civilians were murdered, and some were on their way to carry out attacks. The IDF is continuing to operate in Jenin, Tulkarem, and the “five villages” of Tamoun, Tubas, Tayasir, Far’a, and Aqqaba, and is employing the Eitan Armored Personnel Carrier in northern Samaria for the first time. Troops found numerous weapons in the past few days, including pistols, rifles, and a large number of explosive devices. The report includes photos of weapons found in the past few days, photos of troops operating in the three loci of fighting, footage of soldiers operating in Tulkarem, and footage of operations in the five villages.

Terrorist Who Attacked Yesterday at West Bank’s Tayasir Checkpoint Not Yet Identified by Israel: The Shin Bet, IDF, and Israel Police have still not identified the terrorist who carried out yesterday’s attack at the checkpoint near the northern West Bank village of Tayasir, which killed two soldiers and wounded eight. An official quoted by The Jerusalem Post stated that the perpetrator “is not known as a released prisoner, and all possibilities are being examined, including that he may be an illegal resident from the Gaza Strip who had been living in the West Bank for years or a terrorist who crossed into the area from Jordan.” Meanwhile, Palestinian media are reporting that the terrorist is Muhammad Daraghmeh, reputedly the brother of Ahmad Daraghmeh, who served as commander of Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s Tubas Battalion and was killed by the IDF last February.

Israeli Defense Ministry Completes Testing of Counter-Drone Technologies: The Israeli Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that its Directorate of Defense Research & Development has completed testing of about 20 drone-interception technologies, a process begun in October. On the final day of tests, held yesterday in southern Israel, nine Israeli defense companies demonstrated the ability of their systems to intercept drones at different ranges, altitudes, and speeds with “projectile-based systems and counter-drones.” The participating companies included startups as well as established companies like Rafael, Elbit Systems, and Israel Aerospace Industries. The ministry plans to choose several technologies for accelerated development and production, which it will fund. Defense Ministry Director-General Maj. Gen. (Res.) Eyal Zamir, who was recently appointed the new IDF chief of staff, had ordered an accelerated process to find counter-drone solutions. According to IDF data, 231 of the roughly 1,300 drones fired at Israel since October 7, 2023 — from Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran — were not properly intercepted, and some caused damage or casualties.

Otzma Yehudit Introduces Bill Offering Financial Incentives for Residents of Gaza to Leave: On Tuesday, in the wake of President Trump’s comments about relocating residents of Gaza, Israel’s Otzma Yehudit Party issued a statement saying that it has introduced a bill in the Knesset to offer financial assistance to Gazans who choose to leave. According to the proposal, to be reviewed next week by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, anyone who returns to Gaza after accepting the offer would have to repay the money, along with a 100 percent penalty, and would be banned from entering Gaza or any area controlled by Israel. The proposed legislation excludes individuals who have been convicted of terrorism. According to Otzma Yehudit head Itamar Ben-Gvir, “the law is meant to provide a practical solution—encouraging the voluntary departure of Gaza residents to countries willing to accept them.”

Latest FDD Analysis:

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

“USAID was rotten, but Trump needs the ‘soft power’ of foreign aid done right,” Mark Dubowitz and Ben Cohen, New York Post

“Cracks in the Core? The Meaning Behind Iran’s Assassinations,” Saeed Ghasseminejad, The National Interest

“‘Not worried’: South Africa sets itself on a collision course with Trump,” Max Meizlish, The Washington Times

“South African Anti-Israel NGOs Commemorate the Holocaust by Hijacking Its Memory,” David May, The Algemeiner

“Eyal Zamir, well known to industry, named Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff,” Seth J. Frantzman, Breaking Defense

“Netanyahu must push Trump to take real action on Iran,” Jacob Nagel, The Jerusalem Post

“With Qatar, the Biden Administration Left Cards on the Table. Trump Should Play Them.” Natalie Ecanow, FDD Policy Brief

“Naim Qassem announces the date of Nasrallah’s funeral,” David Daoud, FDD’s Long War Journal

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