Officers operating in the Gaza Strip told i24NEWS that a divisional commander has tightened rules of engagement along the Yellow Line, replacing lethal fire orders with an arrest procedure that allows firing only at the knees at most. Troops say the change endangers their lives and strips away their remaining operational edge.
The Zioneer reported earlier this evening (Mon 18:08) that IDF officers told Ynet the military had tightened its rules of engagement in the Gaza Strip. Now, according to a detailed report from i24NEWS by Tal Sabag, the specific change is this: along the Yellow Line — the buffer zone inside Gaza — a divisional commander has ordered that instead of lethal fire ("fire to kill"), troops must follow an arrest procedure that permits firing only at the knees at most. Soldiers interviewed say the directive endangers their lives and "takes away the little operational capability we had."
This development mirrors parallel restrictions reported in southern Lebanon, where since last week, any engagement or strike has required authorization from the highest military echelons, including the chief of staff (Galei Tzahal, Sun 13:50; NYT, Mon 19:24). In Lebanon, soldiers on the Yellow Line have described a "radically different reality," with approval needed to engage suspected militants (Amit Segal/N12). The Gaza directive follows the same logic. It is not yet clear whether the change was ordered by the political echelon or reflects a broader policy shift across fronts.
What remains open: whether the new procedure is temporary or permanent, and whether the officer complaints have led to any reconsideration by higher command.
2 developments
- StrongTroops on the 'Yellow Line' describe radically different reality: highest-level approval needed to engage suspected militants
- StrongIDF confirms authorization to open fire within the 'Yellow Line' in Lebanon
- DevelopingIsraeli troops in Lebanon report shift in rules of engagement, liken themselves to 'ducks'
- DevelopingAnalyst outlines new IDF rules of engagement in Lebanon amid US-Iran deal
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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