The IDF has instructed forces in the Gaza Strip to raise vigilance and operate defensively in anticipation of a Hamas retaliatory wave, following a series of targeted assassinations of senior Hamas officials, according to a Wednesday evening i24NEWS report citing senior Southern Command sources. The sources said the damage to Hamas's command echelon is perceived by the organization as crossing a line, with attack and soldier abduction scenarios being considered.
A Wednesday evening i24NEWS report citing senior IDF Southern Command sources revealed that the recent wave of targeted assassinations of senior Hamas officials is perceived by the terror organization as crossing a red line. The sources said the damage to Hamas's command echelon has prompted the group to consider attack and soldier abduction scenarios as possible retaliation, and the IDF has instructed its forces in the Gaza Strip to raise vigilance and operate defensively.
The new report, published at 22:21 Jerusalem time by The Zioneer, provides the first on-record attribution to senior military sources regarding the specific threat assessment. It follows a series of earlier reports from Wednesday at 20:02 Jerusalem: initial assessments raised the prospect of a kidnapping scenario; Southern Command sources confirmed to i24NEWS that the IDF was preparing for possible retaliation; and The Jerusalem Post reported that the IDF had ordered troops in Gaza to increase vigilance. By 20:30 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that the directive followed a Southern Command assessment that the IDF was preparing for possible Hamas retaliation.
This development comes after The Zioneer reported earlier Wednesday (20:35 Jerusalem) that the IDF Southern Command assessed Hamas is actively rebuilding its military wing, including restoring command structures and accumulating tens of thousands of weapons. Broader warnings have been issued over recent weeks about Gaza reaching a 'boiling point' amid Hamas's re-strengthening, as reported by The Zioneer previously.
As of 23:15 Jerusalem, no specific intelligence on the timing or nature of a possible retaliatory action has been disclosed. The i24NEWS report remains the most detailed official assessment, and the IDF has not issued a separate statement.
5 developments
- ConfirmedIDF raised alert Tuesday after intelligence on possible Hamas retaliation for Shin Bet chief kidnapping
- StrongIDF conducting targeted eliminations under Chief of Staff's personal approval, security sources say
- StrongIsraeli military source: Hamas boosting offensive readiness in Gaza; Nukhba forces bombed
- DevelopingIDF assesses Hamas rebuilding military capabilities, preparing to resume fighting
Source and signal
- Open-source intake