Political echelon orders: targeted strikes in Gaza now require Chief of Staff approval

The directive, first reported by Army Radio and subsequently confirmed by outlets including i24NEWS and Israel Hayom, marks a sharp departure from the decentralized command structure that has characterized much of the kinetic activity in Gaza. Until this week, the authority to approve targeted strikes against terror operatives rested with division commanders or the head of the Southern Command. Under the new protocol, this authority is centralized at the highest level of the military hierarchy.

Operational Impact and Context

The shift in policy is already reflected in the operational tempo on the ground. Reports indicate that in the 48 hours leading up to Tuesday evening, the IDF carried out only one targeted strike in the Gaza Strip. This follows a period of relative quiet where no strikes were recorded for a stretch of 27 hours. While the political echelon has not issued a formal public statement, a political source emphasized that Israel will continue to neutralize threats to its citizens and soldiers, even as the threshold for offensive action rises.

This centralization mirrors similar restrictions implemented earlier this year on the northern front. As [The Zioneer reported in June](https://thezioneer.com/en/article/source-idf-approval-thresholds-sharply-tightened-for-lebanon-strikes-now-require-chief-of-1a9f2f77), a nearly identical directive was issued for operations in southern Lebanon, where strikes were also subordinated to the Chief of Staff's direct approval. The synchronization of these policies across both fronts suggests a strategic decision by the political leadership to maintain tighter control over the intensity of the conflict during a sensitive regional period.

Analysis and Outlook

The tightening of the rules of engagement comes at a strategic turning point for the Gaza Strip. With ongoing discussions regarding a U.S.-brokered disarmament framework and the transition to a new governance model, the centralization of fire authority may be intended to prevent tactical incidents from disrupting broader diplomatic or strategic objectives.

However, the move has drawn internal scrutiny. Some security sources have expressed concern that requiring the Chief of Staff's personal sign-off for every targeted strike could slow the military's responsiveness to emerging intelligence. While the IDF continues to operate against immediate threats, the new directive effectively places a high-level filter on proactive eliminations of mid-level terror commanders—a tactic the IDF has previously used to erode the command structure of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.