War in the Middle East - Israel reports military successes
Almost three months after the start of the Gaza war, Israel's army is continuing its intensified attacks in the heavily bombed coastal strip and is reporting military successes. According to the army, more terrorists have been eliminated by warplanes in the north and south of Gaza and tunnel shafts have been cleared. In the embattled Chan Junis in the south of the coastal area sealed off by Israel, the army reported that the headquarters of the Islamist Hamas in the city had been stormed.
The terror organization's secret service headquarters was also located there, army spokesman Daniel Hagari said the evening before. More than 8,000 terrorists had already been "eliminated" in Gaza, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the same evening, according to a statement from his office. This information could not be verified independently.
Israel's army: battle in the north against the last Hamas stronghold
According to its own statements, the armed forces are currently concentrating primarily on the south of the coastal area with the city of Chan Junis as well as on the central Gaza Strip. Israel suspects that the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Jihia Sinwar, is hiding in the underground tunnels beneath Khan Yunis. "We are intensifying the fight against Hamas," said Netanyahu. Meanwhile, in the north, Israel's army says it is in the process of taking full control of the area. According to army spokesman Hagari, the focus there is now on the last remaining Hamas stronghold in the city of Gaza, the Tufah district.
Destruction on an enormous scale
Israel's weeks of bombardment have caused enormous destruction in the sealed-off coastal strip, which is barely larger than the city of Munich. As the "Wall Street Journal" reported on Saturday, citing the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Israel's army had dropped 29,000 bombs by mid-December alone. Almost 70 percent of the 439,000 houses and apartments had been damaged or destroyed. The industrial zone in the north has also been almost completely destroyed, according to an analysis by the World Bank.
"The word "Gaza" will go down in history like Dresden and other famous cities that were bombed," the newspaper quoted Robert Pape, a political scientist at the University of Chicago. In view of the catastrophic humanitarian situation and the high number of civilian casualties, Israel has recently come under increasing international criticism. But the government remains firm. "Hamas will be defeated", said Netanyahu, quoting the words of the army's Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi: "The war will continue for many more months".
Israel's head of government refuses to resign
After a year in office, however, Netanyahu is also under strong domestic pressure. There is mistrust of the head of government among his own people. According to polls, the majority of Israelis want him to resign after the end of the Gaza war at the latest. However, Netanyahu refused to resign. "The only thing I will resign from is Hamas. That's what I'm dealing with," he told the Times of Israel.
Many people accuse the Israeli head of government of not having acknowledged any personal responsibility for the Hamas massacre in Israel on October 7. With 1,200 dead, it was the worst massacre in Israel's history. Around 240 people were deported to Gaza. According to Israeli information, almost 130 hostages are still being held there.
In response to the attack, Israel's military launched massive air strikes and a ground offensive. According to the Hamas-controlled health authority in Gaza, 21,672 people have been killed so far. No distinction is made between civilians and fighters. The number cannot be independently verified.
Palestinian terrorist organization: Hostage killed in airstrike
According to a Palestinian terrorist group, one of the hostages still being held in Gaza was killed in an airstrike. Israel's army had previously tried to free the Israeli soldier, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said on Saturday. The attempt had failed. The information could not be independently verified. Israel's army would not comment.
Another exchange of fire on Israel's border with Lebanon
Meanwhile, the army also ended a large-scale attack on targets of the Hezbollah militia on Israel's northern border with Lebanon on Saturday, according to the spokesperson. Three "terrorist cells were eliminated". The army will also continue to attack Hezbollah military positions in southern Lebanon.
"The southern region of Lebanon will not return to what it once was," Hagari continued. Several rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel on Saturday. 80 percent of the rockets fired by Hezbollah had fallen on Lebanese territory. This could not be independently verified either.
Since the beginning of the Gaza war, there have been repeated confrontations between Israel's army and Hezbollah on the border. There have been deaths and injuries on both sides. It is the most serious escalation since the second Lebanon war in 2006. Hezbollah has links to Hamas in Gaza, but is considered to be more powerful. It is also considered the most important non-state ally of Israel's arch-enemy Iran.
Israel hopes for Germany's help
Benny Gantz, a member of the Israeli war cabinet, asked German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) for support in keeping the Hezbollah militia away from Israel's border. "The State of Israel cannot accept such a threat and Germany, together with the international community, must play an important role in ensuring that this threat is eliminated," wrote Gantz on the X platform (formerly Twitter).
Houthi rocket attack again
Meanwhile, Israel's most important ally in the south of the Red Sea has once again intercepted two missiles from the Yemen-based Huthi rebels, according to its own statements. The US Navy had responded to a call for help from a Danish container ship that had previously been hit by a missile, the regional command responsible announced on X. However, the ship was reportedly at sea. However, the ship was reportedly seaworthy and no injuries were reported.
Since the outbreak of the Gaza war, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked ships in the Red Sea, one of the most important shipping routes for world trade. They also attack Israel directly with rockets.
What is important today
The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains catastrophic. Nevertheless, Israel's army continues to intensify its attacks in the area.
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- The Israeli army continues to report military successes in the Gaza Strip, targeting Hamas strongholds in the north and south of the coastal strip.
- According to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over 8,000 terrorists have been "eliminated" in Gaza, a figure that could not be independently verified.
- The conflict in Gaza has led to enormous destruction in the coastal strip, which is comparable in size to Munich.
- Hezbollah militia on Israel's northern border with Lebanon was targeted by the Israeli army, resulting in three "terrorist cells" being eliminated.
- Harakat el-Mukawame el-Islamije, a Palestinian terrorist group, accused Israel of killing a hostage in an airstrike, a claim the Israeli army did not comment on.
- In response to the attack in Israel, Israel's military launched air strikes and a ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza, leading to the death of over 21,000 people, according to Hamas-controlled health authorities.
- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was asked for support by Benny Gantz, a member of the Israeli war cabinet, to keep Hezbollah away from Israel's border.
- The Houthi rebels in Yemen launched two missiles towards a Danish container ship in the Red Sea, which was intercepted by Israel's most important ally in the region.
- The World Bank reported that the industrial zone in the north of the Gaza Strip has been almost completely destroyed as a result of the conflict.
Source: www.stern.de
