Israeli Incursion in Gaza Potential Test of Resistance, Experts Say
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Experts have suggested that Israel's brief overnight incursion into Gaza might serve as a way to assess Hamas' resistance before considering the deployment of ground troops.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Elias Hanna, a retired Lebanese army general, commented, "What Israel is trying to do is maybe probe the resistance, test the resistance, and fix some forces from Hamas. It could be a deception to fix Hamas in the north and then target the middle of Gaza, the weakest point of Hamas, a distance of between 6km between Gaza and the sea."
"The Israelis have Tse'elim army base where they train their forces on urban warfare. But training is one thing and the real fight is another. Hamas would have been able to plan for the worst-case scenario. Urban warfare might be necessary but it is very costly. Is Israel prepared to pay the cost?," he further explained.
Analyst Elijah Magnier also noted that the brief ground operation by the Israeli army into northern Gaza is part of a strategy to test the readiness and capabilities of Palestinian fighters.
"We see a new technique from the Israeli army – little raids where they withdraw after just a few hours instead of staying for some time as they normally do," he observed.
"It's what the US used to do in Iraq: drive very fast in and out to see the amount of fire they would be exposed to, and they would do it from different parts until they prepared for a bigger attack," Magnier added, drawing parallels with his extensive coverage of conflicts in the Middle East.
"They understand that there are tens of thousands of Hamas and (Palestinian) Islamic Jihad fighters waiting for them, but they don't have enough intelligence or knowledge on what kind of preparation the Palestinian resistance has," he added, emphasizing the Israeli army's lack of intelligence on what to expect.
Magnier also highlighted the psychological aspect of small ground operations, noting that Israeli soldiers need to demonstrate their presence in Gaza and boost their morale for the eventual entry into a hostile environment.
"Because sooner or later they will have to go in," he added.
Meanwhile, Brazil's President Lula da Silva referred to the situation in Gaza as not a war but a "genocide" responsible for the deaths of thousands of children.
"What is happening right now in the Middle East is very serious. It's not about discussing who has a reason or who is wrong. The problem is that it's not a war, it's a genocide that has killed 2,000 children who have nothing to do with this war but are the victims," he remarked.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also issued a warning about the situation, stating that Israel's war on Gaza could lead to an eruption in the Middle East and beyond with "extremely destructive consequences."
He stressed the urgency of ending the bloodshed and violence, cautioning that the crisis could escalate further, affecting regions far beyond the Middle East.
The Israeli attacks in Gaza have resulted in at least 6,546 Palestinians killed, including 2,704 children, and 17,439 wounded by Israeli attacks since October 7.
