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Kohavi Orders Acceleration of Plans to Attack Hamas, Islamic Jihad Rocket Stockpiles

Israel to accelerate plans for a possible broad attack on the rocket stockpiles of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip (AFP)
Israel to accelerate plans for a possible broad attack on the rocket stockpiles of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip (AFP)
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Kohavi Orders Acceleration of Plans to Attack Hamas, Islamic Jihad Rocket Stockpiles

Israel to accelerate plans for a possible broad attack on the rocket stockpiles of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip (AFP)
Israel to accelerate plans for a possible broad attack on the rocket stockpiles of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip (AFP)

Israeli Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi has ordered the military to accelerate plans for a possible broad attack on the rocket stockpiles of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Citing unnamed sources in the General Staff’s Planning Directorate, the Walla news site said that the plan is aimed at significantly reducing the ability of Hamas and Islamic Jihad to target Israel with rockets in the early stages of a future conflict in the Gaza Strip.

The two organizations are working to replenish their rocket supply following the 11-day fight in Gaza this May between Israel and the Palestinian factions in Gaza Strip.

Military officials acknowledged that due mostly to a lack of precise intelligence, the Israeli army was unable to destroy the lion’s share of the armed groups’ existing arsenals of rockets.

General Staff officers regarded intelligence on the various rocket stockpiles in the Gaza Strip as a major weakness, some defining it as a failure.

The May clash saw at least 4,000 rockets and mortar shells fired towards Israel.

The rockets represent a spearhead to the two movements in any conflict with Israel, succeeding in spreading fear among civilians and paralyzing normal life as the Iron Dome fails to intercept all missiles.

Israel says that Hamas uses civilians’ institutions and houses as locations to store and launch missiles from, but Hams denies this.

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Erdogan Says Türkiye Can ‘Crush’ All Terrorists in Syria

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives a press conference during the G20 Leaders' Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 19, 2024. (AFP)
Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives a press conference during the G20 Leaders' Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 19, 2024. (AFP)
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Erdogan Says Türkiye Can ‘Crush’ All Terrorists in Syria

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives a press conference during the G20 Leaders' Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 19, 2024. (AFP)
Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gives a press conference during the G20 Leaders' Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 19, 2024. (AFP)

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned on Wednesday that Türkiye had the power and ability to "crush" all terrorists in Syria, including ISIS and Kurdish militants, while urging all countries to "take their hands off" Syria.

Since last month's fall of Bashar al-Assad, Türkiye has said repeatedly it was time for the Kurdish YPG militia to disband. Ankara considers the group, which spearheads the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), as a terrorist organization.

Ankara has said the new Syrian administration must be given an opportunity to address the YPG presence, but also threatened to mount a new cross-border operation against the militia based in northeast Syria if its demands are not met.

Speaking in parliament, Erdogan said the YPG was the biggest problem in Syria now, and added that the group would not be able to escape its inevitable end unless it lays down its arms.

"Regarding fabricated excuses like ISIS, these have no convincing side anymore," Erdogan said, referring to the US position that the YPG was a key partner against ISIS in Syria and that it plays a vital role guarding prison camps where the extremist militants are kept.

"If there is really a fear of the ISIS threat in Syria and the region, the biggest power that has the will and power to resolve this issue is Türkiye," he said.

"Everyone should take their hands off Syria and we, along with our Syrian siblings, will crush the heads of ISIS, the YPG and other terrorist organizations in a short time."

Türkiye has repeatedly asked its NATO ally the United States to halt support for the SDF, and has said the new administration in Syria had offered to take over the management of the prisons.