The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are reporting major progress in Operation ‘Oz ve’Herev’ (Might and Sword), the ongoing multi-phase campaign against the Iranian-backed Hamas terror group entrenched in Gaza. Hundreds of Hamas terrorists have been eliminated and over 1,800 terror-related targets have been destroyed in a determined effort to dismantle the group’s military infrastructure and disrupt its operational capabilities.
The operation was launched following the unprecedented massacre by Hamas on October 7, 2023, when heavily armed militants crossed into southern Israel and perpetrated the deadliest antisemitic attack since the Holocaust, murdering more than 1,200 civilians, wounding thousands, and abducting hostages of all ages. This massacre, which featured orchestrated executions, torture, sexual violence, and abductions, compelled Israel to act decisively in defense of its citizens.
Operational Achievements
According to the latest IDF assessments, intensive ground, air, and naval action has eliminated hundreds of terrorists, including operational commanders and specialized strike teams. More than 1,800 strategic targets have been identified and destroyed, including command centers, weapons factories, rocket stockpiles, tunnel entrances, and launch sites.
Precision-guided operations have been enabled by superior intelligence and surveillance capabilities. Israeli units have adapted to the extensive use of civilian infrastructure by Hamas, undertaking measures such as advance warnings, targeted evacuations, and the use of precision munitions to minimize civilian harm. The IDF has documented and published evidence of terror tunnels and weapons being deliberately positioned under schools, hospitals, and residential blocks—a hallmark of Hamas’s systematic abuse of Gaza’s civilian population to shield its fighting forces.
Context: Iran’s Proxy War and Regional Dimensions
Israeli officials continue to stress that the hostilities in Gaza are only one front in a regional confrontation with Iran, whose Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) coordinates arms, funding, and training for an expanding network of terror proxies. Along with Hamas, these groups include Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Shiite militias in Syria and Iraq—all focused on destabilizing Israel and undermining regional security.
Recent weeks have seen an uptick in cross-border rocket fire from Lebanon and attempts by Iranian-supported cells to establish new terror bases in Syrian territory. The IDF’s strategic objective is not only to dismantle the immediate capabilities of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza but to reestablish deterrence across all threatened borders, disrupting the supply chains and command structures that link local terror cells to the IRGC’s broader ‘Axis of Resistance.’
The Hostage Crisis and Legal Principles
Operation ‘Oz ve’Herev’ continues amid the ongoing crisis of over 130 hostages kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 and held inside the Gaza Strip, cut off from outside contact and international humanitarian oversight. Israeli authorities emphasize the moral and legal distinction between the forcible abduction of innocent civilians and Israel’s custody of convicted terrorists, highlighting repeated Israeli calls for Red Cross access, which have been denied by Hamas. Included among the operation’s priorities is the recovery and safe return of those detained.
Humanitarian Measures and Precautions
Although Hamas’s use of human shields deliberately endangers Gaza’s residents, Israel maintains a policy of facilitating humanitarian access wherever feasible. The IDF has coordinated with international organizations to enable the flow of essential goods, medical relief, and water to civilian areas outside active combat zones. The stated aim remains: To defeat terrorist forces while upholding humanitarian principles and minimizing harm to noncombatants subjected to Hamas rule.
International Support and Outlook
The United States has reaffirmed its unwavering support for Israel’s right to self-defense, providing critical diplomatic, intelligence, and military backing. International discussions have acknowledged Israel’s security imperatives in the wake of the October 7 massacre, even as pressure mounts for the swift resolution of the hostage crisis and further de-escalation. Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, have maintained that operations will continue until strategic objectives are achieved—notably, the defeat of Hamas as a military and administrative force, the safe return of hostages, and the restoration of calm to border communities.
The IDF’s Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, has reiterated that the fight against terror networks embedded in civilian populations is uniquely challenging but non-negotiable: “Israel’s continued existence and the security of its citizens depend on our readiness to confront and dismantle the apparatus of Iranian-backed terror on every front.”
Technologies and Adapting to Modern Conflict
Israel’s campaign leverages advanced intelligence gathering, real-time surveillance, cyber operations, and innovative battlefield technology. Drones, satellite imagery, and AI-enabled analysis are central to the precision and effectiveness of IDF targeting. Information gained from captured combatants and intercepted communications plays a critical role in shaping operations and reducing collateral harm.
Conclusion
Operation ‘Oz ve’Herev’ stands as a critical phase in Israel’s defensive war against the Hamas terror regime and the wider Iranian-driven axis of aggression. The operation’s ongoing success in degrading enemy infrastructure and capabilities highlights Israel’s resolve to protect its population and counter the evolving threats facing the region. While the humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains acute, Israeli policymakers and military leaders continue to assert that responsibility lies first and foremost with Hamas and its sponsors, whose tactics and ideology endanger not only Israelis but the broader prospect of peace and stability.
As the conflict continues, Israel’s overarching goals—hostage recovery, the neutralization of terror infrastructure, and lasting security along its borders—remain unchanged. The IDF, backed by unprecedented intelligence and global partnerships, presses forward with careful resolve, committed to defending the country’s democratic values and the fundamental right of its citizens to live free from terror.
