Let’s go, the largest operation of this war.
This “Preparation for the Next Level of Battle”
Hamas threatens retaliation by turning tragedy into joy
On the night of the 25th (local time), the Israeli army deployed tanks and infantry units into the Gaza Strip, the base of the Palestinian armed group Hamas, to attack Hamas positions and then withdrew. This attack was the largest infiltration operation into Gaza since the outbreak of the Seven-Day War. There is an analysis that Israel is taking steps to enter a full-scale ground war. On the 26th, Hamas warned Palestinians of retaliation against Israel, saying, “We will turn your tragedy into joy (in the event of a full-scale ground invasion).”
On the same day, the Israeli military announced on social media He revealed that he had ordered it. He continued, “Tanks and infantry units targeted multiple terrorist organizations, (Hamas’s) infrastructure, anti-tank missile launch sites, etc. “The soldiers completed their mission and returned to Israeli territory,” he added. A 1 minute 9 second black and white video was also released showing several tanks entering the Gaza Strip and targets exploding from artillery fire.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously said in a TV speech on the 25th, “We are preparing for a ground invasion. “Specific details will be processed according to the cabinet decision,” he emphasized. This attack appears to have taken place just hours after Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech.
While the U.S. Joe Biden administration is known to have asked Israel to postpone ground warfare for a few days until the expansion of air defenses is completed to ensure the safety of U.S. troops stationed in the Middle East, Israel’s raid on Gaza can be seen as effectively ignoring this. President Biden also announced on the 25th that the ground war should be postponed for the safety of civilian hostages detained by Hamas.
Claims are also being raised one after another that Iran was behind the Hamas surprise attack on the 7th. On the same day, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that about 500 Hamas members received special warfare training in Iran for at least several weeks before the attack.
Ready to press ahead with ground war despite U.S. dissuasion
WSJ “Let’s make a miniature version of Gaza and conduct preliminary training”
Preparing ‘sponge bombs’ to attack tunnels
“Whether inside or outside Gaza, above ground or underground, all Hamas members are already dead.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized his intention to eliminate the Palestinian armed group Hamas in a TV speech on the 25th (local time). That night, the Israeli army suddenly entered the Gaza Strip, Hamas’ stronghold, with tanks and infantry units, saying, “Preparation for the next stage of battle.” There was a local fight with Hamas in the Gaza Strip on the 23rd, but this was the first time a large-scale force was brought to the forefront. There is an analysis that Israel, which had only been coordinating the timing of the start of the ground war by declaring the “annihilation of Hamas” after the outbreak of the 7-day war, has strengthened its will to press ahead with the ground war despite diplomatic efforts and pressure from the international community to release the hostages.
Moment of entry into Gaza Strip The Israeli military entered the Gaza Strip, the base of the Palestinian armed group Hamas, on the night of the 25th (local time) and released a video showing it bombing major buildings in the area, saying it had carried out a ground operation. The buildings that were attacked were completely collapsed and huge dust was seen rising. Israeli Army ‘X’ (old Twitter)The 1 minute and 9 second video released by the Israeli military through social media . In particular, several tanks pushed down barriers like bulldozers, demonstrating preparation for future infantry entry and urban warfare. Israeli military radio described this operation as a “relatively large-scale ground raid.”
So far, Israel has been unable to decide when to start a ground war due to concerns about the possibility of using the 220 civilian hostages kidnapped by Hamas as human shields and the possibility of increased damage to its military due to underground tunnels installed by Hamas throughout the Gaza Strip. The international community, including the United States, also strongly discouraged ground warfare.
However, the approval rating was low even before the war, and as criticism from inside and outside the country increased due to the unprecedented disaster, there is an analysis that Prime Minister Netanyahu is trying to force a ground war to make up for it. In his speech on the 25th, he mentioned responsibility for failing to prevent Hamas’ attack for the first time, saying, “After the war, everyone, including me, will have to answer questions about responsibility for the situation.”
According to the Associated Press, Saleh al-Arouri, a senior Hamas official, said in a statement on the 26th that he was not concerned about the entry of ground troops, saying, “Despite the enemy’s crimes, the resistance is progressing well.” He also revealed on the 25th that he met with Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia armed group supported by Iran. There is a possibility that the start of the ground war and the possibility of Hezbollah participating in the war could serve as an opportunity to intensify the war.
Moment of entry into Gaza Strip A tense look at the Givati Brigade situation room, which led this attack. Israeli military website captureThe U.S. Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 26th that the Israeli military is conducting ground warfare training by creating a miniature version of the Gaza Strip, so-called ‘Little Gaza’, in the southern Negev Desert. The Israeli military built 600 structures here, including an 8-story building and a school. Hamas’ secret tunnels, mosques, and markets were also made to resemble the actual interior of the Gaza Strip.
In particular, during the mock training on the 25th, training was conducted to infiltrate narrow streets and maze-like tunnels. There were also training sessions in which ‘fake’ Hamas members wearing black T-shirts were deployed to exchange gunfire with Israeli troops and search for terrorists between building windows. Thousands of reserve forces are also waiting nearby.
The British Telegraph reported that the Israeli military prepared a so-called ‘sponge bomb’ to prepare for the underground tunnel. It consists of two types of liquids separated and stored in a plastic bag. It used the principle that when the metal rod that separated the liquid was removed and thrown into the tunnel entrance, the two liquids mixed and an explosive force was created. In addition, the special engineering corps is expected to find tunnels using ground and air sensors, ground-penetrating radar, and special equipment that can secure visibility underground.
However, concerns about escalation due to the start of a full-scale ground war still remain. We cannot rule out the possibility that negotiations for the release of hostages with Hamas will fail or that civilians, including Gaza residents, will be killed.
Cairo =
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.