🎖️ Troop losses, safety and continued readiness. Defrin acknowledged soldiers who fell during the capture and clearing of the ridge, praised their role in defending northern communities and wished the wounded a speedy recovery. “We completed the mission; these achievements belong first and foremost to them,” he said.
Zamir also credited troops’ courage and dedication, saying continuous assessments prioritized their safety through integrated intelligence, ground, aerial, operational and logistical capabilities. He said the IDF remained on guard across frontline positions, headquarters and command centers as the new year began. Defrin pledged continued operations to remove threats to civilians and troops: “Just as we operated here, we will continue to operate along all of our borders.”
🎯 Hamas’ Khan Younis Brigade commander eliminated. The IDF and Shin Bet said an overnight precision airstrike in Khan Younis eliminated brigade commander Muhammad Yazouri, company commander Hudheifa Muammar and brigade operative Muhammad Bahjat Rashi.
Yazouri previously served as deputy brigade commander, Combat Support Battalion commander and intelligence chief. According to the agencies, he managed brigade terrorists and directed attacks against troops and civilians. In recent months, he worked to advance dozens of attacks against troops and rebuild the brigade’s capabilities after substantial wartime losses.
Earlier Hamas and Palestinian media reports identified him as Muhammad Abdul Salam Al-Yazouri, also known as Abu al-Haitham. A Hamas death-announcement account published a poster commemorating him before Israel confirmed the identities of those eliminated.
🔎 Hamas sniper cell commander eliminated in a separate strike. The IDF and Shin Bet said Moamen Jabr Al-Sayed Abu Labda, head of a Rafah Brigade sniper cell, was eliminated yesterday in the Khan Younis area. They said he conducted sniper training across Gaza aimed at harming Israeli civilians and troops operating near the Yellow Line, and had recently attempted to rebuild Hamas’ capabilities in systematic violation of the ceasefire. The agencies said the strike removed the threat he posed.
🚧 Eastern border weapons smuggling intercepted. Security forces seized 35 weapons, including more than 30 pistols and two M-16 rifles, and arrested two Jericho residents overnight. After IDF surveillance detected preparations for smuggling, Jordan Valley and Foothills Brigade troops, the police’s Jordan Border Unit and Border Police forces established joint ambushes.
The suspects and weapons were transferred to the Judea and Samaria District Central Unit for investigation. Security forces remain deployed along the eastern border to counter smuggling and protect Israeli citizens.
📋 Judea and Samaria holiday readiness exercise. The IDF launched a surprise drill calling out all battalions in the Judea and Samaria Division to assess alertness, operational readiness and responses to unexpected scenarios ahead of the holidays.
The exercise follows recent drills covering operational scenarios and coordination with security and emergency services. The IDF said it was scheduled to continue until the afternoon, with increased security force movement, and emphasized that it was planned and did not indicate a security incident.
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