Operation Shield and Arrow—Live Updates

Operation Shield and Arrow—Live Updates

May 9, 2023:

The IDF launched Operation Shield and Arrow in a targeted operation against the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in Gaza. The IDF targeted three senior Islamic Jihad commanders responsible for launching rockets toward Israel over the last month. The senior commanders were also planning further terrorist attacks against Israel. 

The IDF also struck Islamic Jihad terrorist infrastructure in Gaza, including weapon manufacturing sites and military compounds. The strikes were carried out with pinpoint accuracy based on real-time intelligence, while making efforts to avoid harming uninvolved civilians as much as possible. 

All three senior members targeted in the operation were heavily involved in the terrorist attempts of the Islamic Jihad to harm IDF soldiers and uninvolved Israeli civilians, both from Gaza and in Judea and Samaria. Most notably, over 100 rockets were fired from Gaza toward Israel on May 2nd, 2023, targeting Israeli communities and leading to the injuries of several civilians.

Khalil Bahitini:

Khalil Bahtini was 44-years-old and lived in Gaza City. His involvement in the Islamic Jihad started in the late 1990s. Throughout the years he was involved in many terrorist acts against Israel, including suicide bombings, explosive attacks, rocket fire and directing terrorist activities in Judea and Samaria. 

After the elimination of Tayseer Jabri during Operation Breaking Dawn in August 2022, Bahitini took over his position as the senior operational officer of Islamic Jihad and the commander of the Northern Gaza Division. Bahitini was a member of the terrorist organization’s military council and had direct and active contact with senior members of the Islamic Jihads’ Political Bureau.

Bahitini was entrusted with approving and carrying out all terrorist activities from northern Gaza. In addition. He was planning and directing terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians and planned shooting attacks against Israel in the immediate future. He was also responsible for the rocket fire toward Israel in the past month.

Tarek Az Aldin:

Tarek Az Aldin was 49-years-old and was originally from A’arbe in Samaria. He was the director of Islamic Jihad operations in Judea and Samaria from Gaza. Recently, he was entrusted with planning and directing multiple attacks against Israeli civilians, the coordination between the Islamic Jihad in Judea and Samaria as well as transferring funds for terrorism from Gaza to Judea and Samaria. Az Aldin was also responsible for disturbing inciting content of the terrorist organization in Israel meant to promote and encourage terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians.

Jahed Ahnam:

Jahed Ahnam was 72-years-old and lived in Rafiah. He was one of the most senior members of the Islamic Jihad. He previously served in key positions in the terrorist organization including the Commanding Officer of the Islamic Jihads’ Southern Gaza Brigade and Secretary of the Military Council. In his last position, he was entrusted with coordinating weapons and money transfers between the Hamas terrorist organization and the Islamic Jihad. Ahnam operated in promoting terrorism in Gaza, Judea and Samaria and around the world.

As part of the IDF’s security situational assessment, the Home Front Command is instructing civilians in the area surrounding Gaza need to remain in the vicinity of a designated shelter. 

Special instructions on the Israeli Home Front within 40 km of Gaza have been posted on the National Emergency Portal. (https://www.oref.org.il/en)

The IDF will continue to operate against the threat of terrorism and maintain security for Israeli civilians.

May 10, 2023:

The IDF identified Islamic Jihad operatives preparing to launch projectiles from Gaza into Israel. The IDF acted preemptively in a precise and accurate way to thwart these threats to Israel civilians.

This included Islamic Jihad terrorist operatives near a rocket launch site in the city of Khan Yunis, as well as other rocket launching infrastructure belonging to the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in Gaza.

Shortly thereafter, rockets were fired from Gaza toward Israeli towns and cities. Many of them were intercepted by the IDF’s Iron Dome Aerial Defense System.

During the Islamic Jihad’s barrage of rockets launched into Israel, Four uninvolved Gazan civilians, including a 10-year-old girl, have been killed inside Gaza as a result of failed rocket launches.

Since the beginning of Operation “Shield and Arrow”, 108 rocket launches by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization from the Gaza Strip toward Israel failed and fell inside Gaza .

During one of the incidents, Varami Shadi Hamdan, aged 16, and Muhammad al-Shabaki, aged 51 from Beit Hanoun, were killed as a result of a failed rocket launch carried out by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization.

Additionally, Lynn Balal Ubed Elsalam Loch, aged 10, and Yazen Juda Alian, aged 16, were killed as a result of a failed rocket launch carried out by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in Gaza City.

Approximately 25% of all rockets launched since yesterday fell inside Gaza.

The Islamic Jihad terrorist organization initiates terrorist activity against the Israeli home front, and eventually dangers, injures and kills uninvolved civilians in Gaza.

May 11, 2023:

During the night, IDF fighter jets targeted Ali Ghali, the commander of the rocket launching force of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in Gaza, who was in a hideout apartment in Khan Yunis. Reports were received regarding two additional Islamic Jihad terrorist organization operatives who stayed with him in the hideout apartment who were also targeted.

Ghali was entrusted with the instruction and the launching of rocket fire toward Israel, including the recent barrage of rockets toward Israeli territory as part of operation “Shield and Arrow”. Ghali instructed and took part in launching the barrage of rockets toward Israel during operations “Guardian of the Walls” and “Breaking Dawn”. Ghali was also entrusted with all routine activity of the force and held a central role in the organization.

Prior to the strike, two uninvolved Gazan children were identified by the IDF within the striking range. Following the identification, the aircraft held fire and delayed the strike until their departure.

Attached is a video of the aborted strike: https://bit.ly/3pyLMLS

When an IAF pilot was about to strike against Islamic Jihad terrorists, he noticed children near the target and canceled the strike. 

In the morning, a barrage of rockets were fired by Islamic Jihad and approximately 25% fell inside Gaza. These misfired rockets have injured and killed Gazan civilians. 

Later on that day, the IDF targeted Abu Deka, deputy commander of IJ terrorist organization’s rocket force.

He was directly responsible for the barrages of rockets fired toward Israeli civilians in the last few days.

After  a rocket hit and heavily damaged an apartment building in Rehovot––which left 4 injured and 1 dead––The IDF Search and Rescue Brigade went to the scene with the intention of helping the residents of the building and those around.

Earlier that day, a rocket hit and damaged an apartment, leaving 4 injured and 1 dead. 

May 12, 2023

As of 7:00 am, 860 rockets had been launched toward Israel. 160 of those rockets landed in Gaza while the Iron Dome intercepted another 260 of those rockets, giving the Iron Dome a 91% success rate. 

The IDF and ISA targeted a senior operative of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization, Ayeed Alhuseni, head of its operational department in the Gaza Strip in a hideout apartment. Alhuseni was a significant figure in leading the operational activity and military decision-making of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization. An Islamic Jihad terrorist organization operative was also targeted. 

Over the last days, in addition to his position, Alhuseni replaced Khalil Bahitini, who was targeted during the first day of the operation, as the commander of military operations of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in Gaza.

Alhuseni was responsible for the coordination with Islamic Jihad terrorist organization senior operatives, and was in direct contact with all Islamic Jihad forces in Gaza. Alhuseni was a key figure in the organization and was involved in all decisions regarding rocket launches and barrages toward Israel. As part of his position, he was also responsible for the recent barrages of rockets toward Israel.

Alhuseni held a key role in planning and advancing attacks against Israeli civilians, and was valuable to the organization’s military readiness.

Later in the day, sirens counted to sound across Israel including in the area surrounding Jerusalem.

May 13, 2023: 

Overnight, an IDF aircraft struck an operational command center belonging to a senior operative in the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in Gaza. The command center was used for the planning and command of terrorist activity against Israel.

The operational command center was used by Muhammad Abu Al Ata, a senior operative in the rocket unit in the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization. This is the same unit that was commanded by his brother, Baha Abu Al Ata, who was targeted by the IDF in Operation “Black Belt” in November 2019. 

In times of emergencies, Abu Al Ata abandons his command center and situates himself in the Shifa Hospital as a hideout among civilians, while continuing to operate and control terrorist activities against Israel.

Furthermore, overnight an IDF aircraft struck an additional operational command center belonging to the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in Gaza, used for planning launches toward Israeli territory. The operational command center was used by Khaled Azzam, a senior operative in the rocket system in the Gaza division.

Seven concealed rocket and mortar shell launchers were struck overnight in Gaza, including the launchers from which launches were identified toward southern Israel yesterday (Friday).

The day before, immediately after mortar launches were identified toward Israeli territory, an IDF aircraft struck a mortar shell launcher belonging to the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in southern Gaza.

Attached is a video of the strike on the operational command center used by Muhammad Abu Aleta: https://bit.ly/3Bk4lpS

Attached is a video of the strike on the operational command center used by Khaled Azzam: https://bit.ly/3I8BqZM