Israel Continues Operations in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and West Bank

On Wednesday, September 16, 2026, the 1076th day of the 'War of Revival' (Operation Iron Swords) saw continued Israeli military activity across multiple fronts. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the elimination of three Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives in northern Gaza who were allegedly preparing rocket attacks and planting explosives. Among them was Said Asad Said Akram, a Hamas battalion commander. Two other militants, Nimr Yaser Nimr Arshi of Islamic Jihad and Ahmad Bahjat Saleh Shaer of Hamas, were also killed.

In Lebanon, the IDF conducted airstrikes on targets in En Nabatiyeh al-Fauqa and Al Mansouri. The military also reported the previous week's airstrike elimination of Jihad Samih Mahmoud Ismail, a Hamas 'Nukhba' unit commander involved in the October 7, 2023, attack, who allegedly participated in ambushes and planned further attacks.

Sources in Gaza reported a child injured by Israeli shelling in Al-Atatra, an area northwest of Beit Lahia. The IDF did not comment. Earlier, Gaza sources reported IDF artillery and helicopter strikes east of Khan Yunis. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital reported a fisherman's body was brought in, allegedly killed by Israeli shelling off the coast of central Gaza. Separately, Gaza's Civil Defense reported at least nine deaths and 14 injuries from a building collapse in Gaza City, where refugees were sheltering.

In the West Bank, IDF forces operated in Burqin near Jenin, Balata al-Balad east of Nablus, and west of Nablus, detaining suspects. Operations were also reported in Tulkarm, the village of Asira al-Shamaliya north of Nablus, and southern Hebron, with detentions occurring. In southern Lebanon, the IDF carried out explosions and artillery shelling in various locations, including Barashit, Kfar Tibnit, and Al Mansouri.

The article also provides extensive background on the war, initiated on October 7, 2023, detailing the initial Hamas attack, Israeli response, and subsequent operations. It notes the release of 168 hostages by October 2025 and the return of the remains of the last captive in January 2026. The IDF estimates approximately 20,000 militants killed or captured in Gaza and 10,000 in Lebanon. The Gaza Ministry of Health claims over 73,000 killed and 174,000 wounded since the war's start, though a Henry Jackson Society report questioned the reliability of Hamas-provided figures.