Author Archives: Seth Frantzman

Hezbollah shot down a large Israeli Hermes 900 drone on June 10. The Iranian-backed terrorist group carried out numerous attacks across northern Israel, increasingly utilizing drones in its attacks. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited northern Israel to conduct an assessment on June 9, the same day that Benny Gantz resigned from Israel’s war cabinet.

Israel rescued four hostages in a raid in Nuseirat in central Gaza. The operation began the morning of June 8 and targeted two buildings where Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv were being held. The following day on June 9 Israel war cabinet minister Benny Gantz resigned from the cabinet and ended his party’s backing for the government.

Hamas terrorists attempted an attack on the border of Israel in the early hours of the morning on June 4. The IDF was alerted and responded to the presence of suspicious men near the border fence. The terrorists shot at the IDF soldiers, killing one. Three Hamas terrorists were eliminated. The attack showcases how Hamas continues to use tunnels to attempt infiltration attacks.

The Israel Defense Forces uncovered a tunnel that stretched for more than 1.2 miles with several branches near the Egyptian and the Rafah border crossings. At least 20 shafts were identified as entrances to the tunnel. In northern Israel, Hezbollah targeted Hufeish with drones. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant flew over Gaza and northern Israel in an F-15, surveying the multi-front conflict.

Fires in northern Israel caused by Hezbollah attacks threatened Israeli communities and compelled Israeli leadership to consider how to stop Hezbollah’s escalation. “We are approaching the point where a decision will have to be made, and the IDF is prepared and very ready for this decision,” Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Herzi HaLevi said on June 4.

On May 29 the Israel Defense Forces took operational control of the Philadelphi Corridor, which runs along the southern Gaza border with Egypt. The IDF found 20 tunnels in this area with one found near the Rafah crossing. In other areas of Gaza, Hamas claimed several attacks on the IDF.

The Israel Defense Forces continued to expand operations in Rafah, primarily along the Egyptian border. They deployed new technology including unmanned M113 armored personal carriers, according to photos taken in Gaza. The IDF also clarified a strike on May 26 near Rafah which killed civilians: “following the strike, due to unforeseen circumstances, a fire ignited tragically taking the lives of Gazan civilians nearby.”

Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed terrorist groups continue to use drones in attacks on Israel. Hezbollah appears to have increased its use of drones in recent weeks, using them as often or more often than rockets or missiles. Israel’s Chief of Staff traveled to northern Israel to meet with officers as part of a reserve brigade drill.

Humanitarian aid continues to enter Gaza via several crossings as the IDF expands operations in Rafah and Jabalya. The IDF’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said 451 humanitarian aid trucks were inspected and transferred to the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom Crossing and the Erez West Crossing on May 21. In addition, 12 trucks arrived by sea to the new US-built pier.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a decision regarding the future of Gaza. “As long as Hamas retains control over civilian life in Gaza, it may rebuild and strengthen, thus requiring the IDF to return and fight, in areas where it has already operated,” he said. He also noted the challenges Israel faces on multiple fronts as two drones were downed by IDF warplanes overnight between May 14 and 15 and with Hezbollah launching more than 60 rockets at Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces opened a new crossing for aid to enter into Gaza. The crossing is called the Western Erez crossing, and it is near the coast in the area of Zikim in Israel. It enables aid to reach northwestern Gaza in addition to two other crossings that now serve northern Gaza. Meanwhile in southern Gaza, the Rafah crossing remains closed, leading to concerns about aid entering southern Gaza.

The Israel Defense Forces are now operating in three areas of Gaza in a multi-pronged offensive against Hamas and other terrorist groups. The new phase of operations began on May 6 when Israel began operating in eastern Rafah. This developed into a second operation in northern Gaza on May 9 and an operation in Jabalya on May 12. Jabalya and Zaytun are in northern Gaza, and have been cleared of Hamas in the past, illustrating how quickly Hamas has returned to areas previously cleared by the IDF.

The Israel Defense Forces continued operations in eastern Rafah on May 9, eliminating up to 50 terrorists and uncovering ten tunnel shafts. Meanwhile, Israel’s military and political leadership reacted to comments from President Biden about the potential for pausing more munitions deliveries if Israel expands into the rest of Rafah. In Zaytun in northern Gaza, the IDF carried out its third raid in six months of ground maneuver.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited the IDF’s 91st division in northern Israel on May 8, where he met with the commander of the division responsible for defending the Lebanon border and vowed that Israel would return evacuated civilians to their communities along the northern border. The IDF evacuated 80,000 Israelis from the north in October 2023 due to Hezbollah attacks, and approximately 50,000 remain evacuated.

Israeli tanks took control of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing with Egypt on May 7, 2024. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited IDF artillery supporting the operation and said Israel was still open to a compromise with Hamas, but that Israel would intensify operations if Hamas did not make a hostage deal. Hezbollah and Iraqi militias escalated attacks on Israel as the IDF operation in Rafah began.

The Israel Defense Forces called for the evacuation of around 100,000 civilians in eastern Rafah to a designated humanitarian zone near Khan Younis. These efforts to keep civilians safe from possible fighting occur as Israel has reiterated a months-long vow to launch an operation into Rafah where an estimated four Hamas battalions remain.

Hamas fired ten projectiles at Kerem Shalom in Israel near the Egyptian border on May 5. Hamas took credit for the attack and claimed it targeted IDF troops. In addition, Hezbollah fired dozens of projectiles at communities in northern Israel. Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also visited Gaza on May 5, where he vowed that Israel would continue with its planned Rafah operation.

Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant spoke with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on the evening of May 1. Israel’s Chief of Staff went to northern Israel to meet commanders on the northern front facing Hezbollah. Israel announced several wartime promotions for commanders amid ongoing political discussions surrounding the Rafah offensive.

Israel Defense Forces recruitment data for March and April 2024 showed high levels of men and women seeking enlistment to combat roles. Women sought out positions in the artillery and border protection units in numbers almost double those sought and expected. Men also sought recruitment to a variety of infantry units at higher than expected numbers, continuing a trend that began after the Hamas attack on October 7.

The Israel Defense Forces said on April 30 that two of its divisions are prepared for the next phase of combat in Gaza. The two divisions played a key role in battles in Gaza between October 2023 and March 2024. The IDF’s statement follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying that Israel will proceed with an offensive into Rafah in southern Gaza.

The Israel Defense Forces are focused on facilitating humanitarian aid entering northern Gaza as well as on receiving aid that will arrive via the US-built temporary floating pier off the coast of Gaza. The IDF’s 99th division also began operating to secure the Netzerim corridor in Gaza, a key element of protecting the aid that may arrive whether by land or by sea.

Israel redeployed its Nahal brigade from Gaza, replacing it with two reserve brigades that have been undergoing training. The movement comes as the IDF continues to carry out numerous daily airstrikes in Gaza and as Hamas seeks to increase its presence in northern Gaza. Additionally, Hamas released a hostage video of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

Hezbollah carried out a drone attack on northern Israel, setting off sirens along twenty miles of Israeli coastline. The Israel Defense Forces said air defenses were activated to intercept the threats. Hezbollah said they had carried out the attack in response to the IDF killing a commander in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan unit.

Hezbollah launched drones at northern Israel on April 16 and 17 during two days of escalation in northern Israel as the IDF eliminated two Hezbollah commanders and Hezbollah carried out attempted attacks on IDF bases.

The Chief of Staff for the Israel Defense Forces spoke to Israeli air force personnel at the Nevatim base in southern Israel on April 15, praising them for their defense against the attack by Iran. Israel is considering its options for responding to the Iranian attack. In addition, Israel’s Minister of Defense held discussions about upcoming operations in Rafah.

The Israel Defense Forces carried out raids in Gaza into Nuseirat and Shujaiya. The new policy of precision raids reflects a developing phase of operations in Gaza which pairs pinpoint raids with increased humanitarian support for Gaza. The IDF is also constructing a new northern crossing into Gaza for aid to reach northern Gaza.

Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant noted Israel’s challenges in Gaza on the humanitarian front, saying that aid has increased in phases and he supports increasing the amount of aid and number of crossings into Gaza for the aid. In addition, he praised the US-Israel relationship and discussed how Hamas has ceased to exist as a military organization in many parts of Gaza.