Israel SitRep: February 12, 2025

Today’s Issue: | Reports: Lebanon and U.S. Administration Will Not Agree to Israel’s Request to Extend Lebanon Withdrawal Deadline | IDF’s Maglan Commando Unit Eliminates Gunman in Nur Shams Refugee Camp; One Soldier Wounded | IAF Conducts Drone Strike Against Weapons-Smuggling Drone in Southern Gaza | Defense Minister Katz Warns Against Smuggling Non-Approved Equipment With Humanitarian Aid Deliveries to Gaza | Latest FDD Analysis

Reports: Lebanon and U.S. Administration Will Not Agree to Israel’s Request to Extend Lebanon Withdrawal Deadline: On Wednesday, Reuters, citing “a Lebanese official and foreign diplomat,” reported that Israel has asked the U.S.-led ceasefire monitoring committee to extend the current February 18 deadline for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and to allow Israel to maintain troops there until February 28. The Lebanese news channel LBCI reports that “the Lebanese side firmly rejected this request,” and according to The Times of Israel, the Trump administration will not approve the extension. The February 18 deadline is itself an extension of the original withdrawal date of January 26. The November 27 ceasefire agreement required the Lebanese army to deploy in southern Lebanon with UN peacekeepers during Israel’s 60-day withdrawal period and also required Hezbollah to dismantle military infrastructure in the south and withdraw north of the Litani River. Meanwhile, according to Lebanese news outlet al-Joumhouria, U.S. deputy Middle East envoy Morgan Ortagus will be paying a second visit to Lebanon this week to ensure that Israel withdraws by February 18.

IDF’s Maglan Commando Unit Eliminates Gunman in Nur Shams Refugee Camp; One Soldier Wounded: The IDF on Wednesday reported on its ongoing counterterrorism operation in northern Samaria, during which troops from the Maglan commando unit, operating in the Nur Shams refugee camp near Tulkarem, eliminated one of several gunmen who opened fire on them and are continuing to exchange fire with others. The soldiers found an M16 rifle, cartridges, and other military equipment on the man killed. A Maglan soldier was moderately wounded during the exchange of fire and was evacuated to a hospital. According to i24NEWS Middle East correspondent Ariel Oseran, IDF troops have been operating in the al-Aroub camp, located in the southern West Bank, north of Hebron. He cites the Palestinian news agency WAFA as saying that the IDF has arrested dozens of suspects.

IAF Conducts Drone Strike Against Weapons-Smuggling Drone in Southern Gaza: On Wednesday, the Israeli Air Force carried out a drone strike in the southern Gaza Strip targeting a weapons-smuggling drone and the two individuals who were collecting it. The IAF says the drone was being monitored throughout its flight, and the strike was carried out after it crossed into southern Gaza from Israel. According to Palestinian media, one of the people collecting the drone was killed and the other wounded. The IDF has recently identified several attempts to smuggle weapons using drones. These photos show some of the weapons found in the past two weeks from these smuggling attempts.

Defense Minister Katz Issues Warns Against Smuggling Non-Approved Equipment With Humanitarian Aid Deliveries to Gaza: On Wednesday, the National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing, part of Israel’s Defense Ministry, conveyed a message from Defense Minister Israel Katz to all those involved in humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza. The message warns that “any attempt to smuggle goods or transfer merchandise/equipment that was not pre-approved into the Gaza Strip constitutes grounds for the seizure and confiscation of the property used in the smuggling attempt, grounds for the seizure and confiscation of the truck that transported the goods, as well as grounds for imposing sanctions on the drivers.” According to the message, any entity that is involved in smuggling may be subject to economic sanctions. The announcement adds and Israel “will continue to act with determination to prevent the financing of terror and to maintain strict oversight over the transfer of goods while ensuring the safe passage of humanitarian aid.”

Latest FDD Analysis:

Today at 8:30am ET: “FDD Morning Brief,” featuring Jonathan Schanzer and Ed Husain, FDD Event

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