The Gaza War Day 428; The War in the North

Saturday

Yom Shabbat

6 Kislev 5785

December 7 2024

The View from Ashdod and On the Ground in Gaza

We were awakened at 4:38 this morning by another huge BOOM from Gaza. For the next two hours, we had the rat-a-tat tat from a patrol boat’s 12.7 mm machine guns. We have no idea what the sailors were targeting.

But as for the BOOMs we reported yesterday and again early this morning, we now have confirmation that the IDF is massively attacking in northern, central, and southern Gaza.

The Givati Brigade under Col. Liron Batito has surrounded the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza that Hamas has used for a headquarters. In the last few hours more than 50 terrorists have been eliminated as they tried to escape.

At the same time, IDF forces have carried out air, sea, and land attacks around the Nuseirat neighborhood in central Gaza. Numerous terrorists have been eliminated.

There are also reports of “powerful” IDF attacks in and around Rafah in southern Gaza.

It would appear that the IDF is making a concentrated attack on all remaining Hamas terrorists and assets as a prelude to a possible ceasefire/hostage agreement or to President-elect Trump taking office.

Moreover, the IDF Spokesman reported yesterday:

“In a joint IDF and ISA precise operation on December 3rd, 2024, the terrorist Nidal Al-Najar, Head of Hamas’ Aerial Unit in Gaza City and head of Hamas’ Aerial Defense Unit in Gaza, was eliminated.

Al-Najar was one of the masterminds of the aerial infiltration into Israel on October 7th. Moreover, throughout the war, Al-Najar was one of the leaders of the attacks against the State of Israel and IDF troops operating in central Gaza, including by means of explosive drone and UAV attacks toward IDF troops.”

The Houthis Have Not Gone Away

Also early this morning, the IAF intercepted a missile launched from Yemen at central Israel. Unlike previous launches however, this one was destroyed long before reaching Israel–meaning that the usual 183 community alarms for falling shrapnel were not sounded.

The War in the North

Long time readers of OneIsrael may remember how–prior to October 7th of last year– we used to have numerous incoming missile sirens here in southern Israel that the IDF would claim were “false alarms” despite local residents hearing explosions all around.

Unfortunately, it appears that history is repeating itself in the north. Yesterday, missiles were launched from Lebanon at Kfar Yuval and Ma’ayan Baruch (10:49) and Kfar Szold (10:56). In both cases, residents heard the impact explosions.

However, an hour later, the IDF said that the alarms had falsely identified “flocks of birds” as missiles.

Later in the afternoon, Hezbollah terrorists also fired a missile toward the western Galilee triggering an alarm at an IDF post. Again, the IDF said later that it was a false alarm–despite the impact explosion being heard over a large area.

The War In Syria

The Syrian Army of the Assad regime has collapsed, and it only appears that it will be a matter of time before Damascus falls to the rebel forces. This is a map of the situation this morning with the red color showing the only places where the Army is still in control (it should be noted that Latakia and Tartus along the Mediterranean are/were areas under de facto Russian control–but the Russians have largely abandoned both areas):

But even the red area around Damascus has begun to erode with the rebels heavily attacking to the south in Dara (Darayya) and Sahnaya:

The whereabouts of President Assad and his family are unknown. One report reads that his wife and children left for Moscow last week, and that he is now in Tehran. Neither of these reports is confirmed.

What is obvious however is that the Russians, and even the Iranians, have apparently abandoned the sinking ship. Assad’s pleas for help to the U.A.E., Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq have been rejected. In fact, Egyptian and Jordanian officials have urged Assad to leave Syria and set up “a government in exile.”

Once again, the speed of the collapse in Syria is startling.

Meanwhile, Israel is being proactive.

Yesterday the IAF destroyed the Assad regime’s chemical weapons stockpiles lest they fall into the hands of the rebels.

Moreover, the IDF has warned Iran not to send any soldiers into Syria.

The IDF Spokesman issued this statement yesterday:

“In light of a situation assessment that has been underway since yesterday at the General Staff and the Northern Command, and in light of developments in the internal fighting in Syria, it was decided to reinforce air and ground forces in the Golan Heights sector.

IDF forces are deployed in the border area and are on standby and ready according to various scenarios.

The IDF is monitoring the events and is preparing for any scenario in attack and defense, will not allow a threat near Israel’s border, and will work to thwart any threat to the citizens of the State of Israel.

On the Ground in Judea and Samaria

Finance Minister and Deputy Defense Minister Bezalel Smotrich visited the offices of the hideous Civil Administration yesterday. As you know, the Civil Administration is largely responsible for “administering” Judea and Samaria. It is specifically responsible for destroying fledgling Jewish communities and Jewish property in Area C.

Smotrich shocked the workers there by telling them “I hope to have the great privilege of closing your doors in the near future.”

What Smotrich is hoping for as are we here at OneIsrael is a declaration of Israeli sovereignty over Area C. He is doing everything within his power to facilitate this so that when President Trump takes office, the groundwork has been laid.

And so it goes here in Israel this Shabbat morning.

As always, we wish our soldiers and you dear readers:

Shabbat Shalom!