Latest Developments
- Hamas Commander in Jenin Killed During Israeli Operation: The IDF said on January 4 that under the direction of the Shin Bet intelligence agency, Border Police officers killed key Iran-backed Hamas figure Isser Saadi in Jenin. Saadi served as the “head of the Hamas terrorist network in the area,” the IDF said. During the encounter, troops eliminated another terrorist and located an M-16 rifle, a handgun, and other military equipment in the structure where Saadi was hiding. In a separate incident, troops killed an armed terrorist, the IDF stated.
- Terror Group Acknowledges Fatalities, IDF Arrests More Than 250 Suspects: Since the launch of Operation “Iron Wall” in Jenin on January 21, Hamas has officially acknowledged the deaths of 14 members. Among the terrorists killed by Israeli troops are Qutaiba al-Shalabi and Muhammad Nazal, who murdered three Israelis near the West Bank village of al-Funduq on January 6. Israeli forces have arrested more than 250 suspects since the beginning of the offensive, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit told FDD’s Long War Journal.
- Israeli Air Force Eliminates Iran-Backed Hezbollah Commander in Airstrike: The IDF said it had eliminated Khadir Sa’id Hashem in the Qana area of south Lebanon on March 4. Hashem was a senior figure in Hezbollah’s Radwan Force and served as a commander of a naval unit. He held several roles in the organization and played an extensive part in Hezbollah’s maritime smuggling operations. Hashem was also “responsible for planning and executing terrorist attacks in the maritime zone, including during the ceasefire,” the IDF remarked.
Expert Analysis
“It was inevitable that Israel would pivot to the West Bank once the Lebanon and Gaza fronts became less active. The growth of terrorist groups in the territory was out of control, and the Palestinian Authority was doing little to remedy the problem. The security challenges created by Iran-backed terrorism in the West Bank are not going to be resolved in a matter of weeks or a few months. It’s going to take a long time to resolve due to the significant amount of infrastructure established by the groups in the territory.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal
“After eliminating Hashem, the IDF’s statement noted that the fallen commander of the Radwan Force’s seaborne forces was involved in procuring weapons for Hezbollah via maritime channels and that both these activities continued even after the November 27, 2024, Lebanon-Israel ceasefire went into effect. Today’s strike is yet another demonstration that Lebanon has yet to undertake serious action to curtail Hezbollah’s activities either south of the Litani River or north of it. Until a visible shift occurs in Beirut’s posture on Hezbollah, Israel must maintain freedom of action to prevent, or at least hamper, the group’s activities and attempts at regeneration.” — David Daoud, FDD Senior Fellow