Last night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation, assuring Israelis that the army would soon invade Gaza.
He stated that the unity war cabinet had unanimously decided on the timing and strategy of the invasion, with an armored raid into northern Gaza appearing to be the opening act.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that tanks, infantry, and bulldozers had penetrated Gaza to the furthest extent since the October 7 invasion by Hamas. While the operation was limited in scope and the forces withdrew at its conclusion, Israel claims that this raid will shape the battleground for future operations.
Video footage released by the IDF showed tanks and armored vehicles, including a bulldozer, moving near a fence in northern Gaza. The tanks fired artillery, causing destruction in the vicinity. IDF spokesperson Peter Lerner described the raid as a "clear and sweep operation intended to create better terms for ground operations if and when that comes in." He added that the soldiers engaged and killed terrorists who were planning attacks with anti-tank guided missiles.
Prime Minister Netanyahu emphasized that there was no doubt about the impending invasion. Despite the delay, he promised that Israel would invade Gaza to permanently remove Hamas from the territory and rescue as many hostages as possible. He referred to members of the terror group as "dead men walking" and stated that the offensive aimed to destroy Hamas.
The armored recon-in-force operation clearly serves the purpose of a larger invasion. It is speculated whether it was also intended as a feint. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have constructed extensive tunnels throughout Gaza, using them in past ground wars to launch surprise attacks on the IDF. The bulldozers used in the raid could potentially be used to bury tunnel exits and disable them.
The IDF has not confirmed whether the raid was a feint, but the released video footage indicates that it was not solely a reconnaissance mission. Tanks were seen engaging positions inside Gaza on the edge of a city, while bulldozers cleared routes for future armored penetrations.
In addition to the raid, IDF pilots carried out a precise airstrike, targeting Hamas' commander in charge of rocket brigades near Khan Yunis. The IDF has been successful in locating and eliminating Hamas' operational and political leaders throughout the conflict.
While the IDF's actions have alleviated some pressure regarding the timing of the ground war, an army cannot remain at this level of readiness indefinitely. The size and scope of the raid will likely maintain morale for a while, but eventually, Israel will have to make a decision between a full-scale invasion or a return to defense.
There is speculation that the raid may serve as a signal to the United States that the delay period is coming to a close. It was revealed that the Biden administration had pressured Netanyahu to postpone a ground war until additional American assets could be deployed in the Middle East, particularly anti-missile systems to protect U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria. The raid may be an alert for the U.S. to prepare itself, as Israel recognizes that there is no chance of peace with Hamas in control of any territory near Israel.
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