‼️ The IDF eliminated a senior Hamas official in a targeted air strike in the southern Gaza border town of Rafah. Details forthcoming.

Initial reports indicate it might not have been a "senior" Hamas official, but a wanted terrorist of lower rank.

Gad Haggai, 73, abducted by Hamas from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, has been declared dead.

He was killed in terrorist captivity. His body is still being held in Gaza.

May his memory be a blessing.

‼️ According to Egyptian media, the IDF informed Egypt of its intention to take control of the Gaza-Sinai border area in Rafah, and asked the Egyptian army to pull back from the area to avoid accidental confrontation.

Israel is concerned that Hamas leaders could escape through tunnels running under the border, possibly with Israeli hostages.

A Hezbollah missile hit the northern border town of Shlomi this afternoon.

Israel's northern border region is a war zone, and the residents are adamant they will not return until the IDF deals with the Hezbollah threat from southern Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Lebanon is today experiencing heavy flooding due to the winter storm.

IDF footage of yesterday's targeted strike in the heart of Rafah on Hassan Atrash, who was in charge of smuggling weapons and equipment to outfit Hamas forces for conflict.

On October 11, the fifth day of the war, US President Joe Biden made an urgent phone call to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to convince him not to attack Lebanon.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Israel was convinced that Hezbollah was about to attack in similar fashion to how Hamas had just days earlier, and the battle plans had been prepared.

Israel backed down, and the US moved two aircraft carrier strike groups into the region to deter Hezbollah.

But that won't be enough for Israel.

Without or without an invasion at this time, Hezbollah is effectively holding northern Israel hostage, and local residents will not return home while the terrorist army sits on the other side of the border.

👆 According to that same report, when Biden called, Israeli planes were already in the air en route to conduct full-scale bombing operations on Lebanon.

Since that call, Israel has resigned itself to retaliatory strikes in response to daily Hezbollah missile, mortar and drone attacks.

The Prime Minister's Office in response to the Wall Street Journal report:

"The article is incorrect. Already on the first day of the war, Prime Minister Netanyahu decided that Israel would first act to achieve decisive victory in the south, while deterring an attack in the north. This policy was adopted by the Cabinet."

Brave man!

Hamid Mutasher, founder of the Ahwaz Liberal Party in Iran, tweeted this photo of an IDF officer in Gaza and wrote:

"Israel crushed its enemies and returned them to the Stone Age, a fact that cannot be disputed. The axis of criminals (meaning the Iranian axis) has come to an end thanks to the bravery of the Israeli soldiers, and with God's help this will not be reversed."

The Ahwaz Liberal Party is an Arab separatist movement opposed to the regime of the ayatollahs.

Israel Today spoke with Mutasher two years ago when the Iranian regime was cracking down on his people in the Ahwaz region 👇

https://www.israeltoday.co.il/read/israel-today-exclusive-water-shortage-protests-in-iran-heating-up/

An Israeli soldier was wounded by Hezbollah gunfire along the northern border this evening.

Israeli jets are attacking targets in southern Lebanon.