War Day 192: Israel Will Strike at Iran, Prepares to Enter Rafah

War Summary, Day One Hundred and Ninety Two: Israel’s war cabinet has decided to retaliate “clearly and forcefully” on Iran in an attack that will be designed to send a strong message of deference, The IDF is continuing to prepare for an operation in Rafah-the last big city which the IDF has not yet entered and where four Hamas battalions remain standing and a Palestinian attacking a Jewish shepherd near Gitit which then broke out into a violent confrontation between Israeli citizens and Palestinians.

By Mrs. Bruria Efune

War Summary, Day One Hundred and Ninety Two:

133 held captive in Gaza.
112 hostages freed.
12 hostage bodies rescued.
37 hostages confirmed murdered in Gaza.
1,490 Israelis murdered.
260 fallen soldiers in the battle in Gaza.
6 fallen soldiers in Northern Israel.
4 fallen soldiers in Judea & Samaria.
11,600+ injured.
13,410 estimated rockets fired at Israel.
102,100 Israelis displaced from their homes.
1 Jewish nation united in prayer, charity, and good deeds.

Top Headlines:

• Israel will strike back at Iran
• Rafah preparations are underway
• Four IDF soldiers were wounded in Lebanon
• An attack drone was intercepted near Eilat

Hostage Updates:

A cabinet official told Israel Hayom that Hamas’ response to the mediators makes the hostage release deal impossible. According to him, “none of the members of the war cabinet, including the heads of the delegation to Cairo, are willing to agree to the new Hamas demands.”

The source said that Hamas is offering to release less than 20 hostages in exchange for a six-week ceasefire from Israel’s side, and the release of a very large number of terrorists from prison, with commitments and guarantees that after the exchange Israel will withdraw from Gaza and end the war.

Iranian Front Updates:

The IDF announced that the name of the defense operation to counter the Iranian drone and missile attack is “Iron Shield.”

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari gave a press statement from the Nevatim Airbase, in which he said that four missiles had hit the base: one near a runway, two in open areas, and one near a building to which it caused slight damage. The remaining 350+ missiles and drones were intercepted.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi in an English-language statement, pointed to the international coalition which was activated across the skies of the Middle East to defend against the Iranian attack, and said that it created new opportunities for cooperation in the Middle East. In answer to the question on everyone’s minds, he said that “Iran will face the consequences for its actions.”

An Iranian official told Al Jazeera that “We do not want war, but we are ready for it if it is imposed on us, and our options are wide. We have the full will to respond militarily to Israeli again, but in a stronger way and with weapons that have not been used previously.”

According to a report on Israel’s Channel 12, Israel’s war cabinet has decided to retaliate “clearly and forcefully.” The response will be designed to send a strong message of deference, while also avoiding an escalation or harm to U.S. and coalition troops in the region. The attack will likely be without American military involvement, but with some level of coordination with the U.S. It’s largely suspected that the retaliation may include a strike on a strategic Iranian regime building, without any targeted assassinations.

PM Netanyahu told ministers of his Likud party that “We will respond to Iran, but we need to do it wisely and not from the gut. They need to be under stress like they made us under stress.”

In what usually occurs when major events lay ahead, the Prime Minister’s Office moved to coordinate a security update meeting between Netanyahu and leaders of the opposition (Lapid, Lieberman, and Saar).

Gaza Front Updates:

Hamas did not successfully launch any rockets at Israeli civilians today.

Thank G-d, the IDF did not announce the names of any fallen soldiers today.

Inside Gaza, the IDF is continuing to operate on the outskirts of Nuseirat in Central Gaza, and in pinpoint operations against Hamas and the PIJ in the area. Over the last days, the troops destroyed Hamas and PIJ buildings, located rocket launchers, and captured weapons.

Troops also continue to operate along the Netzarim corridor, which the IDF constructed to divide the north and south of Gaza, giving troops control of the area and preventing people from entering Northern Gaza. In the past day, troops eliminated around 15 Hamas terrorists in areas along the corridor.

The IDF is continuing to prepare for an operation in Rafah, at the far south of Gaza. This is the last big city which the IDF has not yet entered, and where four Hamas battalions remain standing. It borders Egypt, and is the key point from where most weapons long-range missiles are smuggled in to Gaza.

The Defense Ministry said that today Minister Yoav Gallant held an assessment on the necessary civilian operations which need to be done before a ground maneuver into Rafah, and specifically how to evacuate the civilians from Rafah, and how to continue the flow of food and medical equipment into Gaza.

According to some reports, the operations were planned to begin this week, but may be delayed due to the Iranian situation.

Gaza Humanitarian Efforts Updates:

237 aid trucks inspected and transferred to Gaza.
Tens of thousands of meals were airdropped over Northern Gaza.
102 food aid trucks were coordinated to Northern Gaza, some through the new northern corridor.

Late at night, activists of the Order 9 movement and family members of hostages arrived in a surprise move at the Albani crossing into Jordan, where they blocked a convoy of aid trucks from Jordan which were headed to Gaza. They demand that the aid not be delivered until the hostages are returned home, since Hamas controls and profits off much of the aid. The police worked into the early hours of the morning to disburse the protesters.

Northern Front Updates:

Hezbollah fired missiles on Israeli communities along the Lebanon border, no injuries or significant damage was reported.

Israel responded with the usual: Airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Southern Lebanon, and shelling of Hezbollah positions along the border.

Overnight, four soldiers (from Golani and the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit) were injured in an operation on the Lebanese side of the border, one of whom was reported in serious condition. The soldiers were injured in a blast, which Hezbollah claims was from bombs which they placed along the border.

Houthi and Other War Front Updates:

Overnight, the IDF detected and tracked an attack drone making its way towards the Eilat area from the east—likely from Iranian-backed militia in Iraq—before fighter jets shot it down. No sirens were sounded in Israel as civilians were not at risk at any point.

Judea and Samaria Updates:

The IDF received a report today of a Palestinian attacking a Jewish shepherd near Gitit, which then broke out into a violent confrontation between Israeli citizens and Palestinians. IDF troops were dispatched to the scene, and worked to disperse the confrontation. At some point, two Palestinians were killed. It is unclear how or by who, but a preliminary investigation says it was not by IDF forces.

In an operation today in Shechem (Nablus), Israeli Border Police arrested on person who was wanted for terror activities, and eliminated a terrorist who was throwing explosives at the troops.