Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 187?

The IDF conducted a targeted operation in central Gaza on Wednesday night while fighter jets and aircraft attacked dozens of terror infrastructures above and below ground, the IDF announced on Thursday.

Furthermore, combat teams of the Brigade 401, Nahal, and other units under the 162nd Division operated in central Gaza on Wednesday night, eliminating terrorists and destroying terror infrastructure.

Before entering the area, Israel Air Force jets, in coordination with Brigade 215, struck dozens of terror infrastructures above and below ground in the central strip.

The joint operation of ground forces and the air force was based on precise intelligence indicating the presence of terror infrastructures and numerous terrorists in the area.

During the operation, IDF soldiers identified an armed terrorist exiting a tunnel near the forces and entering a military structure. A fighter jet targeted the terrorist as he approached the forces. Additionally, soldiers of Brigade 401 identified several launchers in the area.

Against the background of the IDF Chief of Staff's decision to remove two officers of the Nahal Brigade who accidentally killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, Iris Haim, mother of hostage Yotam Haim, sent a letter to IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi on Tuesday calling for a change in his decision. 

Haim wrote on her Facebook account portions of what she had sent in the letter: "I am writing about your decision from the last few days regarding the dismissal of two IDF officers following an apparently wrong decision they made. I say in advance that this letter does not challenge your professional decision, and I am sure that you have examined the case very carefully. I write from the emotions of my heart and from what the decision makes me feel, as Yotam's mother."

Haim did not blame the soldiers 

"On December 15, 2023, my son, the late Yotam, along with two fellow hostages, was accidentally shot and killed due to a mistake by the army, a terrible mistake that damaged the morale of the entire people of Israel. My family, the Haim family came out with a call to not blame the soldiers, neither the direct commander nor anyone in the senior ranks, we also issued a reinforcing message that the fighting must continue because that is our goal, that's the only way we can win," she wrote.

"We did not seek to dismiss anyone with the understanding that we are in a state of war and friendly fire is, to our sorrow and pain, part of the war, and even today, this is not what I am asking for. In those days and even now, there was no call from the army for the dismissal of any soldier who participated in the incident with Yotam his fellow hostages, and again I emphasize, this is not what I am asking for. I'm not calling for a dismissal."

"And here, foreign citizens are accidentally killed by IDF forces, the world is alarmed, one of the representatives protesting against the army is the Prime Minister of Poland. Yotam, my son, also had Polish citizenship. It is interesting that the Polish citizen named Yotam Haim was not really interesting to the Prime Minister in Poland. We haven't heard from him that he shares in our sorrow, a kidnapped Polish citizen who was killed. He probably didn't contact you to denounce the killing, right?"

Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi (credit: IDF SPOKESMAN’S UNIT)

Haim said, "Is the blood of my son less important than the blood of citizens of a foreign country? That's what your decision implies for me. We, the family of a kidnapped citizen, support our soldiers, support our army and the commanders despite our terrible pain, because we have a responsibility because we believe that the soldiers do everything to protect us and that terrible things happen during war."

The security establishment is on high alert this week against the possibility that Iran will react radically to the assassination of a senior Revolutionary Guards Corps officer, Mohammad Reza Zahedi, in the heart of Damascus last week.

In Israel, they estimate that Iran is determined to respond to the targeted countermeasures. But they refused to comment on whether the assessments are based on solid intelligence that also drew President Joe Biden to speak about the commitment of the United States to the security of Israeli citizens against Iranian aggression.

It can be assumed that the response will not come directly from Iran, as it would be followed by a direct response from Israel to Iran.

Be that as it may, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdullahian, repeated the threats two days ago during his visit to Damascus at the end of a meeting with the heads of the Syrian regime.

The fear in Israel is that the Iranians are preparing for a broad attack that will cause damage and casualties to the Israeli homefront since, in their view, Israel attacked the consulate where Zahedi was staying.

Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commander reported to have been killed in an airstrike in Damascus on April 1, 2024. (credit: FARS MEDIA CORPORATION/CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTION 4.0 INTERNATIONAL / TINYURL.COM/MWSAPNJV)

Experts in Israel said that this is not a consulate and the Iranians are trying to attribute to Israel a violation of Iranian sovereign space. This is how the consulate and embassy are perceived.

The Iranian response

According to the experts, Iran can respond in several ways. The first and immediate reaction is from Syria, where the Iranian Quds Force operates the Imam Hussein Division.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not briefed on the strike that killed Haniyeh's three sons on Wednesday and did not approve the operation, Walla reported, citing an Israeli official. 

According to the official, the operation was deemed by the IDF and Shin Bet as a tactical move and was carried out because of Haniyeh's sons's role in Hamas's military wing. 

An additional report by Kan News on Wednesday stated that the war cabinet had not discussed the strike. 

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant was also not informed of the decision to eliminate Haniyeh's sons; both he and Netanyahu were reported to have been taken by surprise by the strike, according to N12.

IDF decision-makers reportedly believed that as Israel is not close to having a deal with Hamas, such a move would not affect hostage negotiations.

Hamas Gaza Chief Yahya Sinwar (L) gestures as he speaks with Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh at the Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip September 19, 2017 (credit: REUTERS/IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA)

A tactical move

The IDF explained the move was in line with procedures and fire policy as laid out by the Joint Chiefs of Staff; the attack was based on real-time pertinent information.

A source in the army told N12 that the timing of the attack is important and, therefore, it is up to the commanders in the field to approve it.

The IDF added that the three were involved in terrorist activities, and one of them was even involved in holding hostages.

The Israeli official told Walla that the IDF and the Shin Bet, which carried out the attack together, treated it as a tactical event. It was carried out due to the activity of the three brothers in the military wing of Hamas and not because they were the sons of Ismail Haniyeh.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the UN Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process called on Wednesday for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza conflict after holding talks in Moscow, the Russian foreign ministry said.

"The importance was stressed of an immediate cease-fire, the provision of safe, unhindered access to all those affected and in need, and the release of hostages," the ministry said after Lavrov met Tor Wennesland in Moscow.

The statement said the two men "paid great attention to the prospects for reviving the peace process of a Palestinian-Israeli settlement after the 'hot phase' of the conflict is over."

A senior member of Hamas referred to the ongoing hostage negotiations and claimed on Wednesday evening that the group would determine the names of the hostages they would release, not Israel, according to Israeli media.

This is a developing story. 

The Israel Air Force struck various targets across the Rafah area in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday evening, Israeli media reported. 

This is a developing story.