Hamas taps Yahya Sinwar to replace slain leader Ismail Haniyeh
Following the elimination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, Hamas announced the selection of Yahya Sinwar as the group’s head on August 6.
Tag Archives: Israel Hamas
Analysis: Mass arrests and conflicting narratives following the Haniyeh assassination
Iran’s regime arrested dozens of intelligence officers who may have been responsible for the security breach that led to Haniyeh’s assassination. The IRGC’s sole control over the investigation into the incident and the regime’s contradictory reporting further demonstrate various parties are intentionally crafting differing narratives to deflect blame and avoid being seen as incompetent.
Analysis: The Islamic Republic prepares to avenge Ismail Haniyeh
Despite Israel’s precision strike on a radar facility in Isfahan on April 19 and the recent assassination of Hamas Political Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Iran remains undeterred from picking a fight with conventionally superior and even nuclear-armed states. For a regime that has perfected the art of proxy warfare, the Islamic Republic is increasingly seeing the political utility of overt and attributable conflict in the Middle East.
Israel confirms Hamas commander Muhammed Deif killed in airstrike
The Israeli Security Agency (ISA) and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on August 1 that a July 13 airstrike had successfully killed Hamas’ military commander, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri, also known as Muhammed Deif.
Israeli forces recover the bodies of 5 hostages in Gaza
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) recovered the bodies of five hostages in Gaza, the IDF said on July 25. The hostages were found in a tunnel under Khan Younis that was 20 meters deep in an area designated as a humanitarian zone. The IDF also announced that one Israeli soldier was killed in southern Gaza and two severely wounded.
Amid Yemen-Israel escalation, Hezbollah increases attacks on Israel
Hezbollah increased attacks on Israel amid an escalation of Houthi-Israel tensions that grew after the Houthis attacked Tel Aviv with a drone, killing one person, and IDF retaliatory strikes. Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, “The blood of Israeli citizens has a price.”
IDF carries out precision strikes on Hamas on two fronts
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out precision airstrikes on several Hamas members in Gaza and targets in Lebanon. Israeli forces also eliminated a Hezbollah member in a Lebanon strike, part of a growing pattern of targeting individual terrorists. In addition, the IDF said an RPG attack in Gaza wounded a soldier.
After a significant escalation, Hezbollah continues attacks in lower numbers
Hezbollah escalated attacks on Israel on July 13, followed by somewhat reducing attacks over the next two days. The IDF responded with a series of precision airstrikes on terrorist infrastructure in Tebnit, Rab El Thalathine, Ayta ash Shab, Odaisseh, Kfarkela, and Houla in southern Lebanon. In addition, two IDF units conducted training in northern Israel in case of further escalation.
Israel continues to assess whether Hamas commander Deif was killed in airstrikes
The Israel Defense Forces targeted Hamas armed forces commander Mohammed Dief and Hamas Khan Younis Brigade commander Rafa’a Salameh on July 13. On July 14, the IDF assessed that Salameh was killed in the strike and continued attempting to determine the fate of Deif.
IDF releases its first probe into October 7 failures as the Shejaiya raid ends
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released the first of a number of inquiries into the failures during the battles against Hamas terrorists in communities along the border of Gaza on October 7, 2023. The first inquiry focused on Kibbutz Beeri, where 101 civilians were killed and 30 taken hostage. The IDF also ended a two-week raid into Shejaiya, and Israel’s defense minister said 60 percent of Hamas terrorists had been eliminated in nine months.