Two terrorists eliminated in Gaza, IDF exerts pressure in Lebanon: The picture behind the scenes

The Air Force eliminated two terrorists in the Gaza Strip today, Sunday, within about an hour: one in the Nuseirat refugee camp and the second in Khan Yunis. The IDF states that both were promoting attacks against Israeli forces and were defined as "ticking bombs." Both eliminations were carried out following the approval of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In the first strike, an Air Force aircraft targeted a tent in the Nuseirat refugee camp, where a senior Hamas terrorist was located. Minutes later, another aircraft attacked a Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist in Khan Yunis. In both cases, the strikes resulted in the elimination of the targets following intelligence gathering by the Shin Bet and Aman.

"Maariv" military correspondent Avi Ashkenazi told 103fm radio that these were two targeted killings approved directly by the Prime Minister. According to Ashkenazi, these eliminations join four others carried out in recent days since Netanyahu's return from the United States. Previously, there had been a lull in such operations, as the political echelon required that all targeted killings be subject to its approval.

Ashkenazi explained the distinction between an immediate threat and a future planned attack. If a terrorist is identified on the "yellow line" planting an explosive device or approaching with a weapon, forces act immediately without waiting for political approval. He cited an incident where a Givati Brigade tank ran over an explosive device as an example where immediate elimination of the threat is mandatory.

Conversely, when intelligence from the Shin Bet or Aman indicates that a terrorist is planning a future attack, the Prime Minister's approval is required. Once approved, the UAV receives the coordinates for the strike.

Behind this limited policy lies the American context. According to Ashkenazi, the United States wants Israel to keep the Gaza and Lebanon arenas at low intensity while Washington focuses on the Iranian front.

"The Americans want the Gaza and Lebanon arenas kept on a low flame and are urging progress in negotiations to avoid opening new fronts," he noted.

Despite these restrictions, Netanyahu has recently returned to approving targeted killings of identified threats. Ashkenazi also addressed the northern front, explaining that parallel to diplomatic contacts, the IDF continues offensive operations against Hezbollah infrastructure. Efforts are currently focused on the Ali-Tahar ridge, where strategic tunnels serving as the last line of defense for the Badr Brigade are located.

He noted that Hezbollah is currently at a crossroads, observing that Iran is not rushing to defend its assets. Ashkenazi added that documents seized by the IDF show that Yahya Sinwar intended to establish a Hamas military force in Lebanon to operate in parallel with an attack from Gaza. However, he emphasized that the October 7 attack surprised Hezbollah as well, and it took the organization over 24 hours to join the campaign.