Israel Prepares for Hamas Retaliation After Gaza Operation

Following a recent Israeli special forces operation in Gaza that targeted a senior Hamas official, Israeli military intelligence assesses that Hamas's military wing commanders may launch guerrilla attacks against IDF outposts or patrols along the Gaza border. This potential retaliation is seen as a response to a series of targeted killings and the capture of the Hamas official earlier this week. Southern Command is also not ruling out rocket fire towards Israel as a show of force.

Sources indicate that Hamas believes it must act before the upcoming elections in Israel and the United States, as they anticipate that the US might prevent deeper Israeli military maneuvers into Gaza. To this end, a situation assessment is scheduled before Rosh Hashanah to consider reinforcing forces in Gaza and sending a clear message to Hamas that any attack on Israeli forces or civilians will be met with an exceptional response.

While security officials are not commenting on the arrest of the head of Hamas's internal security apparatus, they acknowledge his importance in understanding the organization's behind-the-scenes operations. His capture is expected to yield critical intelligence on operational plans, key figures, methods, and recently appointed field commanders.

On the day of the arrest, the IDF raised its alert level due to fears of a potential Hamas response. Israeli political figures have conveyed through intermediaries that any action from Gaza against Israeli soldiers or civilians will result in a severe Israeli reaction.

The operation itself, conducted in the Shati refugee camp, involved a special IDF unit entering Gaza in a vehicle. Palestinian reports claim the unit was exposed, leading to an exchange of fire and a dual air and ground extraction, suggesting the arrest did not occur. However, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the arrest, stating, "This is our policy: we don't wait for threats, but rather pursue Hamas terrorists, neutralize them, and destroy their terror infrastructure." Katz emphasized that the arrest was a response to the increased launching of incendiary kites from Gaza into Israel and warned that any rocket fire would be met with a strong and clear response.