Military and strategic expert, Colonel Hatem Karim Al-Falahi, believes that Israel has sent a clear message that its military operations and mobilization on various fronts will continue until the end of this year.
This came in Al-Falahi’s comment to Tel Aviv Tribune on the Israeli government’s approval to extend a decision allowing the recruitment of 350,000 reserve soldiers until the end of 2024.
Al-Falahi pointed out that military operations will continue in the Gaza Strip, in addition to the successive developments in the occupied West Bank, the latest of which is the large-scale operation in its northern regions.
He also pointed out Iran’s repeated threats to respond to the assassination of the head of the political bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Ismail Haniyeh, on its territory late last month, in addition to the Houthis’ threats to respond to the bombing of the port of Hodeidah in Yemen.
According to Al-Falahi, Israel was unable to return the settlers displaced from the northern front with Lebanon, which requires it to be prepared for all these circumstances.
Regarding the withdrawal of the Israeli military division “98” from Khan Yunis and Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip, the military expert explained that this division launched a security-like operation related to searching for Israeli prisoners, political and military resistance leaders, and the resistance infrastructure over the course of 22 days.
It is believed that the “98th” Division is the only striking force in the sector after the withdrawal of the “99th” Division to the northern front and the presence of other divisions whose mission is concentrated in the Netzarim and Philadelphi axes, and it is expected that the work of the “98th” Division will remain confined to the sector.
After October 7, 2023, the Israeli government called up more than 350,000 reserve soldiers to participate in the war on Gaza, and since then, the call-up order has been extended several times.