Israeli security officials are predicting renewed fighting in Gaza within days, Mideast analyst Yoni Ben-Menachem reports. The IDF is expected to intensify the military response to Hamas provocations after Prime Minister Naftali Bennett returns from the US, he wrote.
Israel may launch a surprising ground maneuver to cause heavy Hamas losses, the report said, citing an unnamed senior source. Hamas, on the other hand, is threatening to fire rockets deep into Israel and target strategic sites if a new conflict erupts.
The army is already deployed in force on the Gaza front with tanks and elite units in case of imminent escalation. Iron Dome air defense batteries are also on elevated alert in the region
Notably, Israel is on guard for rocket fire from Gaza during the upcoming meeting between PM Bennett and President Joe Biden. The summit has been postponed to Friday following the deadly bombing in Afghanistan.
