Operation Iron Swords (Updated to 1 p.m., February 1, 2024)
Over the past day IDF activity focused mainly on west Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. In the northern Gaza Strip and Gaza City the forces continued activities against squads of armed operatives.
According to reports, the Palestinian organizations are discussing the offer of the hostage deal submitted to them and have not yet formulated their position. Senior Hamas members do not broadcast optimism and claim they have many comments on the proposal. Hezbollah also sent a message, through commentator Ibrahim al-Amin, who warned that Israel was trying to set a trap for Hamas with the hostage deal. The Red Crescent issued an alert regarding the condition of the two hospitals in Khan Yunis, claiming there was a shortage of food and medical equipment. Josep Borrell, the EU foreign minister, called for UNRWA's activities not to be "paralyzed." Hezbollah claimed responsibility for seven attacks. In response, Air Force planes attacked and artillery was fired at Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon. A Hezbollah operative was reported killed in an airstrike. The Israeli security forces continued their counterterrorism activities. A vehicle ramming attack was carried out against an IDF force near Kiryat Arba; no casualties were reported. Mahmoud Abbas presented the proposed Palestinian Authority (PA) reforms at a Fatah conference. Given the threats issued by the United States to respond to the killing of the three American soldiers in Jordan, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps' stated Iran was not interested in war but was not afraid of it. The Islamic Resistance claimed responsibility for attacking Haifa Port. In reality, no such event occurred. Apparently, the Iraqi prime minister managed to convince the pro-Iranian militias not to take action against United States bases in Iraq. The Houthis continue attacking ships in the Red Sea. The commander of the American Army Central Command (CENTCOM) arrived in Riadh and met with the chief of staff of the Saudi Arabian Army.
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