DAY 157 OF THE GAZA WAR: Did the IDF Eliminate High Ranking Hamas Leaders? UN Security Council, Round 2 Mayoral Elections

Tel Aviv Diary March 11, 2024

IN GAZA

Today’s top news story focused on the potentially successful assassination of Marwan Issa, the third-ranking official in Hamas, who was believed to be in an underground bunker in the Nuseirat refugee camp. Issa was thought to be with another senior Hamas leader responsible for their armaments. The Air Force targeted the precise location with a series of bombs, drilling down into the bunker. As of this evening, the army has not definitively confirmed Issa’s death. However, there is a widespread sense that the strike was successful.

In his press briefing, the IDF Spokesman assured all that Israel had reliable intelligence, indicating there were no hostages present with Issa at the time of the attack. If the assassination is confirmed, it will be a significant setback to Hamas, given that Issa has no obvious successor, especially amid the ongoing war. Apart from the operation targeting Issa, the significant military activities in Gaza today continue to be primarily focused on the Hemed neighborhood of Khan Younis.

BIDEN v. NETANYAHU

The tensions between Biden and Netanyahu continued yesterday, with Netanyahu making an appearance on Fox News. Netanyahu has been careful to criticize Biden’s remarks, without launching a personal attack on Biden directly.

In my opinion, my segment on i24News last night provides a good summary of where Israel stands vis-à-vis the Biden Administration.

IN THE NORTH

Today was a comparatively calmer day in the North than yesterday. There were several rocket  and two drone attacks, marking a relatively quiet day. Tonight, it was reported that the Israeli Air Force attacked targets in Baalbek, Lebanon, which is 100 kilometers from the border.