{"id":109511,"date":"2023-12-21T18:05:37","date_gmt":"2023-12-21T16:05:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=109511"},"modified":"2023-12-21T09:41:29","modified_gmt":"2023-12-21T07:41:29","slug":"27-05-92","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/?p=109511","title":{"rendered":"Gallant: If Houthis keep attacking, we\u2019ll know what to do"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>Gallant: If Houthis keep attacking, we\u2019ll know what to do<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h5>\n

YAAKOV LAPPIN<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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IDF secures Hamas’s “Elite Quarter” in Gaza City; Army chief at Lebanese border: We\u2019re not going back to previous situation<\/strong><\/span>.<\/h4>\n

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\nIsraeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant speaks with soldiers at a staging area near the Gaza Strip, Oct. 19, 2023. Photo by Chaim Goldberg\/Flash90.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

If the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen continue to attack Eilat with missiles, the State of Israel will \u201cknow what to do,\u201d Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said during a visit to the Red Sea city on Wednesday.<\/span><\/p>\n

The minister was briefed on operational and intelligence activities as well as the navy\u2019s preparations in the face of aerial and maritime threats in the Red Sea, Gallant\u2019s Office stated. He was accompanied by Israeli Navy commander V. Adm. David Saar Salama and boarded a Sa\u2019ar 6-class corvette that was recently deployed to the area.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe threat to freedom of navigation in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait [between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden], 2,000 kilometers from the State of Israel, is not only a threat to traffic to Israel, but also to international freedom of navigation in waters belonging to all countries,\u201d said Gallant.<\/span><\/p>\n

He thanked U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, whom Gallant recently hosted in Israel, for leading a multinational force tasked with ensuring freedom of navigation in the Bab el-Mandeb.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have met the men and women in our navy, the officers and commanders. We will not tolerate threats against the State of Israel. If they continue to provoke us, try to attack Eilat with missiles or by other means, we will know what to do. We are preparing\u2014the troops here are ready for any mission and any command. The State of Israel, through the navy and the air force, will know how to defend itself,\u201d Gallant warned.<\/span><\/p>\n

When announcing the establishment of the task force, Austin stated on Tuesday, while in Bahrain, \u201cThis is an international challenge that demands collective action. Therefore, today I am announcing the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian, an important new multinational security initiative.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Major shipping companies have suspended operations through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in recent days amid daily drone and ballistic missile attacks emanating from the Houthi-controlled part of Yemen. The Houthis have also attempted to attack Israeli territory several times after declaring their support for Hamas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, in the north, the Israeli Air Force struck a series of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, including terrorist infrastructure and \u201cmilitary\u201d sites where Hezbollah terrorists operated.<\/span><\/p>\n

IDF Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi conducted a tour of the Lebanese border with the commanders of the 146th Division.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are not returning to how things were beforehand. This means to push further, to reinforce this and to bring the residents back here, to [Moshav] Netu\u2019a, and along the entire border line, to a different situation that is much more secure,\u201d Halevi said. \u201cOur role as those in uniform is to prepare the first option, to be very well prepared for combat,\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo matter what, the coming year will include a lot of work,\u201d he added.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hamas\u2019s nerve center<\/strong><\/h5>\n

In the south, IDF troops have secured control of Hamas\u2019s \u201cElite Quarter\u201d in the center of Gaza City, including the area of Palestine Square, from where the terrorist group\u2019s administrative and military leadership formerly operated, the military said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The complex includes a large network of tunnels that connects terrorist hideouts, offices and residential apartments belonging to Hamas\u2019s senior leadership.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis complex, both above and below ground, was a center of power for Hamas\u2019s military and political wings,\u201d the IDF said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn recent weeks, the 162nd Division\u2019s 401st [Armored] Brigade, along with forces from the [air force\u2019s commando] Shaldag Unit, Shayetet 13 [naval commandoes] and the [Combat Engineering Corps\u2019 elite] Yahalom Unit have been operating in the area of Rimal in Gaza City, where Palestine Square is located,\u201d the military said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe forces carried out a combined and coordinated offensive on Palestine Square and secured the area. Over the last few days, the area was completely secured. During the battles to secure the area, IDF forces eliminated approximately 600 terrorists in both ground and aerial operations,\u201d the military continued.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Elite Quarter\u2019s \u201cmilitary infrastructure was located in the direct vicinity of commercial stores, government buildings, civilian residences and a designated school for deaf children,\u201d it added.<\/span><\/p>\n

A sweep and clear operation revealed what the IDF described as an \u201cunderground terrorist city that is part of Hamas\u2019s tunnel system and includes a strategic tunnel route connected to other significant underground infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Shafts leading to the tunnel network are located in the homes and offices of senior officials and allow for covert descent through designated elevators and stairs, the military said.<\/span><\/p>\n

This enabled Hamas operatives to both escape and remain in hideouts for extended periods. The tunnel network includes blast doors and hideouts. In some cases, food, water and electrical infrastructure were found that allowed for prolonged stays.<\/span><\/p>\n

The heart of Gaza City<\/strong><\/h5>\n

\u201cThis network was used by the organization\u2019s senior officials, [politburo head] Ismail Haniyeh, [chief in Gaza] Yahya Sinwar, [Al-Qassam Brigades head] Muhammed Deif and others, to direct Hamas\u2019s operational activity. It was also used for protected daily movement through the heart of Gaza City,\u201d the IDF said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Near these buildings, Hamas established a specialized workshop for digging and building the underground network.<\/span><\/p>\n

IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said on Wednesday evening that the IDF is deepening its operations and moving to Gaza City\u2019s Al-Tuffah and Al-Daraj neighborhoods, near Shejaia. This will enable the military to secure southern Israeli communities such as Kibbutz Nir Am, Kibbutz Kfar Aza and Kibbutz Mefalsim, said Hagari.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is part of our war against terrorism. And we will ensure the security situation will be different,\u201d he vowed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hamas tried to stop the IDF from taking over the Elite Quarter because it knew it would degrade the ability of Hamas battalion and company commanders to manage the fighting in the city, he added.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen they lost it, they got weaker, hence we defeated Hamas battalions in this area. Our objective is also to ensure this terror infrastructure won\u2019t be there in future,\u201d said Hagari.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe found sensitive intelligence in the tunnels, and we used it to plan our operations and to understand Hamas\u2019s locations. This is being expressed in targets we hit and actions by IDF,\u201d he added.\u00a0\u201cWe will neutralize this underground city. We will continue this operation as well in southern Gaza and reach the underground area of Hamas\u2019s leadership in Khan Yunis.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

One hundred thirty-three IDF soldiers have died since the start of the ground offensive on Oct. 27.<\/span><\/p>\n

More than 5,000 trucks containing over 89,000 tons of aid, as well as fuel tankers, have entered the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the war.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Gallant: If Houthis keep attacking, we\u2019ll know what to do YAAKOV LAPPIN IDF secures Hamas’s “Elite Quarter” in Gaza City; Army chief at Lebanese border: We\u2019re not going back to previous situation. . Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant speaks with soldiers at a staging area near the Gaza Strip, Oct. 19, 2023. Photo by Chaim […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[26,24],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109511"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=109511"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109511\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":109531,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109511\/revisions\/109531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=109511"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=109511"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reunion68.se\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=109511"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}