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The Iron Swords – The war in the south of Israel (Updated to 1 p.m., October 17, 2023)

The IDF continued its activity in the Gaza Strip, mainly by conducting airstrikes against terrorist targets of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Several thousand terrorist targets have been attacked since the beginning of the war. Using precision-guided munitions, Israeli Navy ships attacked Hamas military-terrorist targets from the sea. Two barrages were fired at the Jerusalem area during the opening of the Knesset's winter session. About 6,930 rockets have been fired at Israel since the beginning of the war.So far, more than 1,400 civilian and soldier deaths have been reported, and 199 civilian and soldier abductees are currently held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Since the beginning of the war, The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is worsening. Tensions continued mounting in northern Israel. Iran has ramped up its threatening messages, apparently concerned that an Israeli ground attack could challenge Hamas' survival. Iran does not necessarily regard Hezbollah as its only option for an attack on Israel and might prefer other options, such as activating the pro-Iranian Shi'ite militias in Syria or Iraq.
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The Iron Swords – The war in the south of Israel (Updated to 1 p.m., October 15, 2023)

IDF forces continued to operate, primarily carrying out aerial attacks, against terrorist targets throughout the Gaza Strip. Several squads, including anti-tank squads, were captured on the border. A number of operatives of Hamas' military-terrorist wing were killed in the attacks, some of them released from Israeli jails in the Gilad Shalit exchange deal (2011). Rockets attacks continued, most of them targeting the Israeli villages near the Gaza Strip border and Ashkelon. A rocket was also fired at the Haifa area. Israel called on the residents of the northern Gaza Strip to evacuate their homes and move to the central and southern Gaza Strip. Hamas tried to prevent the evacuation. In northern Israel several anti-tank missile and rocket attacks were reported from Lebanon and Syria. One Israeli was killed and several were injured. The IDF returned fire. As of now, tensions remain high. In Judea and Samaria Israeli security forces continued counterterrorism activities. The ministry of health in Ramallah reported 55 Palestinian deaths and approximately 1,200 wounded since the beginning of the war. The Iranian foreign minister held a round of meetings in Syria, Lebanon and other Middle Eastern countries.
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The Iron Swords – The war in the south of Israel (Updated to 1 p.m., October 12, 2023)

IDF forces reported they had control over the area surrounding the Gaza Strip and most of it had been cleared of Hamas terrorist operatives. Meanwhile, IDF fighters continued operating against terrorist squads still in the area attempting to carry out attacks. Israeli Air Force waves of air strikes in the Gaza Strip continued attacking dozens of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) military. The rocket fire from the Gaza Strip attacking civilian Israeli targets continued. Hamas claimed it had more than 120 hostages. According to reports, the electricity supply was cut off and the hospitals were collapsing under the strain . Israel's north is quiet but tense. UNIFIL and Lebanese army forces reported that they were remaining in the area. Hezbollah continued expressing support for Hamas. Hamas called on everyone who had a weapon, either by virtue of their [formal] occupation or participation in the "resistance" [Palestinian terrorist organizations], to carry out attacks immediately.
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Spotlight on Iran (September 26 – October 8, 2023)

With contacts aimed at promoting possible normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia in the background, Iranian Supreme Leader and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi attacked Israel and warned against the normalization process. The Syrian army reported an Israeli strike against several military targets in the Deir ez-Zor area in eastern Syria. Iran condemned the drone attack launched from Idlib territory in northwestern Syria at the graduation ceremony of the officers’ course at the military college in Homs, killing dozens of people Iraq’s national security adviser visited Tehran. In a first Iranian reaction to the developments in the Palestinian arena, Rahim Safavi, the senior advisor to the Iranian leader, stated that Iran supports the "commendable operation of Al-Aqsa Storm" and is confident that the 'Resistance Front' backs this cause. He congratulated the 'Palestinian fighters' and affirmed that Iran would stand alongside those fighters until the 'liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem' (ISNA, 7 October 2023).
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Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah, Lebanon and Syria (September 21-27, 2023)

A Lebanese tractor crossed the border into Israeli territory, in the Har Dov area, and took down a mound erected by the IDF. According to the Lebanese army, the tractor operated in Lebanese territory. At the same time, the Lebanese army was paving a road nearby. IDF forces also continued their work in the area. In an interview to an Iranian news channel, Wafiq Safa, head of Hezbollah’s liaison and coordination unit, said that it was still too early to predict whether the decisive campaign against Israel was imminent In the Ein al-Hilweh refugee camp, a temporary calm is apparent. Najib Mikati, Lebanon’s interim prime minister, said in an interview that a peace agreement with Israel could only be possible through negotiations carried out by the Arab League . A drone targeted, apparently in Syria, two Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives. The two were killed. In one of the reports, the attack was attributed to Israel. Hezbollah reportedly moved a system of surface-to-air missiles from Lebanon to one of its bases in the Dimas area on the outskirts of Damascus.
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Spotlight on Iran (September 11 – 26, 2023)

The IRGC commander responded to the Israeli Mossad chief’s threats to increase Israel’s activity against Iran, warning that if Israel continues its assassination policy, its life will be shortened, and Iran will have the upper hand.The Iranian media reported on a visit to Syria by Qods Force Commander Esmail Qaani, during which he met with senior political and security officials and visited operational areas in the country. According to a Syrian news channel report, the IRGC and pro-Iranian militias intend to turn the Soleimani military base in eastern Syria into their main base in the region and transfer weapons currently at the Imam Ali base there. Intensive contacts have been held over the past two weeks between senior Iranian and Iraqi officials over Iran’s demand to dismantle the separatist Kurdish groups operating in the Kurdish region in northern Iraq. The Iraqi foreign minister, who visited Tehran, stressed his country’s commitment to the security agreement with Iran and to dismantling the Kurdish armed groups operating in northern Iraq.
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