Photograph: A blended unit from the Shachar Battalion of the Search and Rescue Brigade of the IDF Dwelling Entrance Command joined IDF models in Gaza for the primary time. (IDF)
A major winter storm descended on Israel on Sunday, November 19. The storm introduced the primary snow to Mount Hermon, which overlooks the Golan Heights. The mountain has troops from Israel’s 810th Territorial Hermon Brigade, and the IDF distributed images of them within the snow standing subsequent to a Merkava tank, which has been fitted with a steel cage to guard it from drones. The photographs appear to represent a number of facets of the struggle. Climate will nonetheless play a task in operations this week. The IDF, which has known as up 300,000 reservists for the reason that October 7 assault, should additionally present winter gear for the troopers. As well as, easy fixes to fashionable know-how issues, similar to drone threats, may be simpler than high-tech fixes, which take time.
The IDF confronted challenges at a number of borders on the Seventeenth-Nineteenth. November. In Gaza, the principle entrance in opposition to Hamas stabilized round Gaza Metropolis. The principle divisions of the IDF, with infantry and armored models, are slowly pushing into the final massive suburban areas earlier than coming into the closely supported areas of Gaza Metropolis itself. Which means that the IDF is now shifting forces into neighborhoods south and east of the town.
The IDF’s thirty sixth Division, which is the one which had marched throughout the middle of the Gaza Strip when the bottom offensive started in late October, is now within the Zaytun space south of Gaza Metropolis. The 162nd Division, which moved in direction of Gaza Metropolis from the north, is in Jabalya. That is vital as a result of the IDF already reduce off Gaza from the ocean to the west by taking the port of Gaza on 16 November. The town is totally surrounded now. For the primary time, a mixed-gender IDF unit known as the Shachar Battalion of the Search and Rescue Brigade of the IDF’s Dwelling Entrance Command has operated with the 162nd Division in fight, the IDF stated. Generally, girls don’t serve in fight roles within the IDF, though many carry rifles and are uncovered to potential fight conditions. The Shachar unit searches for terrorist weapons in Gaza.
The transfer into new quarters allows the dismantling of extra terrorist infrastructure. 100 Hamas terrorists have been apprehended, the IDF stated over the weekend. Moreover, “IDF troops took management of a stronghold of the commander of Islamic Jihad’s northern command space. The stronghold incorporates workplaces for senior terrorists from the group and a strategic weapons manufacturing web site. Through the raid, troops situated heavy rockets, UAVs and extra weapons,” the IDF stated on November 17. Among the many weapons discovered have been massive Badr-3 rocket components. Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), which was the main focus of smaller earlier IDF air campaigns similar to Operation Black Belt in 2019, has not been central to the battle for Gaza this time round. Nevertheless, its infrastructure and operators stay eradicated. The PIJ has additionally taken root within the West Financial institution and serves as one in every of many Iranian-backed proxies within the area.
IDF Chief of Employees Herzi HaLevi stated on November 17 that “we’re near dismantling the army system that was current within the northern Gaza Strip. Whereas the work stays to be accomplished, we’re approaching it efficiently.” Dismantling has a price. One other 13 IDF troopers have been killed in Gaza throughout three days of combating from 17-19. November. Moreover, the physique of IDF soldier Corporal Noa Marciano was recovered from Gaza. She was one of many IDF troopers in an statement unit close to Nahal Oz on October 7 when Hamas overpowered her unit and several other of the observers have been killed and captured. Her physique was discovered close to the Shifa hospital, the place IDF forces have been working since round November 12. The IDF stated on the evening of November 19 that new details led them to consider that she was killed at Shifa Hospital and her physique was taken on a stretcher to a home close by. Shifa Hospital has change into the middle of IDF claims that Hamas used the hospital and the tunnels beneath it for terrorist functions. On the similar time, the UN and docs evacuated 31 infants from the hospital on Sunday 19 November. Israel additionally revealed on the night of the Nineteenth new documentation exhibiting safety footage taken on the hospital on October 7 wherein “Hamas terrorists may be seen on Saturday October 7 forcibly transporting hostages, a Nepali civilian and a Thai civilian, who have been kidnapped from Israeli territory. IDF autos stolen through the murderous bloodbath may also be seen contained in the Shifa hospital space, the IDF stated in a press release. This means that Hamas transported wounded hostages to the hospital straight after taking them from Israel within the early hours of the 7 .October through the assault Hamas killed 1,200 folks in Israel on October 7.
There have been additionally greater than a dozen clashes and incidents between Israel and Hezbollah over the weekend. These included a number of anti-tank missiles fired Sunday at Israel. Within the West Financial institution, the IDF operated in Balata close to Nablus on Saturday and used a drone to hold out an assault on “terrorists concerned in planning imminent terrorist assaults in opposition to Israeli civilian and army targets,” the IDF stated. Israel has confronted growing threats from the northern West Financial institution areas close to Nablus and Jenin over the previous 12 months.
The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen threatened to assault Israeli ships on Sunday morning and claimed they might additionally assault industrial ships linked to Israel. A number of hours later, a cargo ship on its means from Turkey to India by way of the Crimson Sea was hijacked by the Houthis. This can be a new escalation by the Houthis, who’ve supported Hamas and the struggle in opposition to Israel since October 7. The Houthis have fired rockets, cruise missiles and drones at Israel over the previous month.
The chilly entrance that arrived in Israel on November 19 is anticipated to stay all through the week, heralding the primary winter-like situations. On the similar time, negotiations on the discharge of hostages continued, which may set the stage for a pause within the combating in Gaza. The escalation of the Houthi and Hezbollah assaults illustrated {that a} cease-fire in Gaza was unlikely to have an effect on different fronts.
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