Israel Launches Massive Overnight Strikes On Hamas, PM Announces New Phase
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has ended as the Israeli Air Force has conducted strikes, between Monday,17th and Tuesday 18th, on multiple targets throughout the Gaza Strip, supported by artillery fire from ground forces, with senior terrorist officials targeted.
Military planners had developed and compartmentalized the strategy for returning to combat operations, ensuring tactical surprise against an unprepared Hamas.
Reports from Gaza City indicate a building was struck along with additional targets on the city’s main street. Strikes also were reported in Nuseirat and al-Bureij against sites affiliated with Hamas. Gaza media sources claim hundreds have been killed and wounded across various locations including Gaza City and Khan Younis, with the deputy interior minister among the casualties . In northern Gaza, a school reportedly came under bombardment. The Israel Air Force also conducted strikes in Rafah.
The IDF has targeted senior officials in Hamas’ military wing, mid-level commanders, and terrorist infrastructure throughout the territory.
Following the resumption of hostilities, the Home Front Command canceled schools in Gaza border communities. Guidance for western Negev and western Lachish regions remain unchanged with normal activities continuing.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu coordinated the return to war operations from the Kirya command bunker alongside the IDF Chief of Staff and Shin Bet director – despite reported tensions between the security chief and the prime minister’s residence.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Israel had consulted with the administration regarding tonight’s planned operations in Gaza. Leavitt emphasized: “President Trump has been clear, all terrorists in the Middle East, the Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran’s proxies and Iran itself, need to take the President very seriously when he says he does not hesitate to stand by our friend and ally–Israel.”
A statement from Netanyahu’s office declared: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have instructed the IDF to act with force against the Hamas terror organization in the Gaza Strip.”
“The action follows Hamas’ repeated refusal to release our hostages and rejection of all proposals presented by the US President’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and the mediators.”
“The IDF is currently striking Hamas terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip, aiming to achieve the war objectives established by the political leadership, including the release of all our hostages – both living and deceased. From this point forward, Israel will escalate military force against Hamas.”
Hamas issued a response to the renewed hostilities, stating: “Netanyahu and Israel bear full responsibility for the consequences of this aggression in Gaza. Netanyahu and his extremist government have decided to overturn the ceasefire agreement, exposing the prisoners (hostages) in Gaza to an unknown fate. We demand the mediators hold Netanyahu and Israel fully accountable for violating and canceling the agreement.”
As fighting resumed, senior Houthi official Hazam al-Assad posted a message in Hebrew on social media amid threats from US President Donald Trump against Yemen’s Houthis, declaring: “We will not abandon Gaza.”
Hamas Has Been Increasing Efforts To Attack Troops In Gaza, Communities Across The Border, Officials Say
Israeli security officials said they had observed increasing efforts by Hamas to target IDF troops in the Gaza Strip and launch attacks on Israeli communities across the border before Israel launched its surprise attack, ending the fragile ceasefire.
Defense officials warned in recent weeks that Hamas was rehabilitating its capacities under the protection of the ceasefire and rebuilding its military forces. They also said the terror group had not abandoned its intentions to attack Israel as it had during the October 7 massacre.
Thousands of Hamas terrorists returned to the northern areas of the Strip after the IDF withdrew from the Netzarim corridor, embedded in the civilian population that moved north from displacement camps in the south. They joined the thousands of terrorists that remained in northern Gaza during the fighting.
Hamas’ rebuilding efforts, the officials warned, include reorganizing its battalions and brigades, using underground tunnels that were not discovered, or building new ones, clearing IEDs placed by the terrorists from areas repopulated by civilians and placing new ones in anticipation of an incursion, and setting up rocket launchers and cameras.
Hamas likely learned from Israel’s offensive and repeated raids. The officials said the terror group had not exhausted its entire force during the war after it understood that it would be fighting Israel alone and that Hezbollah would not open a new front against Israel.
The security forces said they identified Hamas’ use of civilian needs to rebuild its economic strength as well, taking control of municipalities across the Strip. The terror group set up roadblocks and took control of hundreds of tons of humanitarian aid, fuel and water that was brought into the Strip daily as part of the cease-fire agreement. Hamas began collecting taxes and demanding pay for humanitarian aid from the civilian population so that it could pay its operatives.
Hamas was able to move its commanders and relay orders, every day during the ceasefire. It may have suffered losses in commanders and weapons thanks to the activity of the IDF and a lack of new resources, but there is still much work to be done before it is defeated,” IDF officials said.
IDF Strikes Radwan Force Command Center In Southern Lebanon After Gunfire On Israeli Border Community
Israeli forces struck a Radwan Force command and control center and building used by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon late Sunday evening (16th), according to the IDF spokesperson. The strikes followed earlier attacks on targets in the village of Aainata, launched after a bullet fired from Lebanon struck a vehicle windshield in the northern Israeli community of Avivim.
The IDF said in a statement that: “the presence of such terrorist infrastructure constitutes a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon. The IDF will not allow this kind of activity and will act against it. The IDF will strike armed terrorists in southern Lebanon, and will operate in order to remove any threat to the State of Israel.”
Later reports from Lebanon indicated an additional airstrike was carried out by an Israeli helicopter in the village of Yaroun. According to Al-Mayadeen, a Hezbollah-affiliated network, this was the third Israeli helicopter strike in Yaroun on Sunday (16th).
The Upper Galilee Regional Council‘s security department notified residents of the incident, stating that “shots” were fired, hitting a vehicle in Avivim, and additional gunfire was reported near a farmer working close to the border fence. It is believed the shooting occurred during a funeral held in Maroun al-Ras. The incident is under investigation.
Council head Amit Sofer, warned: “The shooting incidents in Avivim, which this time miraculously ended without casualties, are a red flag that cannot be ignored. The risk to lives is real. I don’t understand how anyone can tell Avivim’s residents to return home when there’s no buffer zone to protect them. Now, with Hezbollah operatives back in the villages. It’s a complete Wild West.”
Residents of Avivim told Ynet that a person inside the vehicle reported hearing gunfire from light weapons in the area. A bullet struck the windshield, narrowly missing the driver. Military and police forces are currently deployed in the community. “It’s terrifying–he was almost killed,” one local resident said. The driver is not a resident of Avivim but was visiting to meet with officials from Israel’s Property Tax Authority.
Landmines In Syria Claim Over 200 Lives As Refugees Return
More than 200 returning refugees, including women and children, have been killed in Syria by landmine explosions and other leftover munitions in the three months since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
The number of casualties continues to rise as approximately 1.2 million Syrians return to their homes and lands after being displaced during the civil war. Across Syria, thousands of landmines and unexploded shells remain scattered after 14 years of war, both in major cities and rural areas where battles between the Syrian army and rebel groups took place.
Bomb disposal experts quoted in the British Guardian stated that currently, “There is no safe area in Syria.” According to the Halo Trust organization, which works to clear landmines, as of last week, 640 Syrians have been killed or injured by unexploded munitions that remain in the area.
According to reports published by the United Nations, one-third of the victims are children, some of whom mistook the mines and shells for toys. “We cannot say there is any area in Syria free of war remnants,” said Mohammad Sami al-Mohammad, a bomb disposal expert working for the White Helmets aid organization, as quoted in the Guardian.
He added that it would take decades to clear the mines and make Syria safe. “There are countries where wars ended 40 years ago, and they haven’t completely eradicated this danger. It’s not that simple, and what happened in Syria is far more devastating compared to other places.”
Volunteers are helping residents returning to their homes to clear mines from the area, but they too are sometimes injured or even killed during the demining process.
Meanwhile a conference will open in Brussels this week, organized by the European Union to raise funds for Syria and to seek help with the landmine issue.
3 New F-35s Join Israeli Air Force, Bolstering Its Air Superiority
The Israeli Air Force received a significant addition to its air superiority with three new F-35 stealth fighter jets called by the Hebrew name Adir, which arrived at the Nevatim air base last week to join the 116th squadron.
According to a statement released by the IDF, the squadron accumulated over 15,000 operational flight hours since the start of the war and participated in thousands of sorties across all theaters.
The stealth jets took part in operations including the assassination of the leadership of the Hezbollah terror group in Beirut and leaders of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The Adir was the first fighter jet to shoot down a cruise missile targeting Israel in October 2023 and other hostile aerial threats, the IDF said.
“The Adir was originally designed to carry munitions in an internal weapons bay. During the war, a new capability was integrated at the Flight Test Center in collaboration with Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Program at the Pentagon, enabling the external carriage of JDAM munitions on the aircraft’s wings,” the IDF said in a statement. “The Israeli Adir is the only F-35 in the world to have conducted operational strikes with extreme weapons configuration, significantly increasing its strike capacity.”
Israel And Argentina Mark 33 Years Since Buenos Aires Embassy Bombing
Israel and Argentina commemorated the 33rd anniversary of the 1992 Israeli Embassy bombing with a memorial event on Monday (17th.)
The attack in Buenos Aires killed 29 people, including three Israeli embassy personnel, six local embassy employees and many Argentinean civilians. The Israeli Foreign Affairs ministry website said the civilians who were killed included elderly residents of a nearby nursing home and schoolchildren on a passing bus.
The embassy launched a campaign titled, “Every View Has a Story. Every Story Deserves To Be Told.” The memorial event took place Monday (17th) on the site of the original embassy location, and paid tribute to those lost in the terror attack and aimed to bring more of their stories to light.”
“Through the eyes of survivors and families, we remember the tragedy and honor of their stories. Each gaze holds a unique tale, filled with suffering, resilience, and hope. Today, more than three decades later, these gazes ask us not to forget,” said an embassy promotional video.
In April 2024, a federal court in Argentina declared that Iran and Hezbollah were behind the attack, having “organized, planned, and executed it.”
Six months after announcing Iranian and Hezbollah complicity, Defense Minister Patricia Bullrich identified the mastermind behind the attacks as Hussein Ahmad Karaki. She named him as the head of Hezbollah operations in Latin America and responsible for multiple attacks historically, and in recent years.
