On September 15, IDF Chief of Staff General Eyal Zamir announced a series of high-level military appointments, all approved by Defense Minister Israel Katz.
During the latest round of appointments, Katz clashed with Zamir for not consulting him before the announcement. Ultimately, Katz approved Zamir’s list, excluding two officers whose involvement in the October 7, 2023, incidents is still under investigation.
The latest list includes four new brigadier generals and six new colonels, as well as one brigadier general and 26 colonels transferring to new positions of the same rank. Among the prominent positions are the new commanders of the Golani Brigade, the Bahad 1 Officers’ School, the Infantry Corps’ School for Professions and Squad Leaders, the Multi-Skilled Unit, the Hasmonean Brigade, the 401st Armored Brigade, and the 215th and 214th Artillery Regiments.
An additional 25 senior officers will be sent for training between appointments. On September 16, the operation on Gaza City was officially proclaimed.
“Two IDF divisions, consisting of tens of thousands of soldiers, launched extensive ground operations in Gaza City overnight, as the army begins a ‘new phase’ of its offensive against Hamas,” the army stated.
The initial phases of the offensive, nicknamed “Gideon’s Tanks B,” began weeks ago with increased attacks on Hamas targets, including skyscrapers, and ground operations on the outskirts of Gaza City, including several areas in the west.
The army says the 162nd and 98th Divisions are now expanding their operations in Gaza City, and a third, the 36th Division, will join them in the coming days, adding tens of thousands of men to the force.
Gaza City has been hit by a massive wave of airstrikes, with both divisions beginning to advance into new areas of the city beyond those currently under Israeli control.
According to the IDF, ground forces intend to advance further into Gaza City and encircle it in the coming days and weeks, as part of efforts to defeat Hamas forces.
The IDF says that IDF Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, is personally commanding the offensive from Southern Command.
Approximately 60,000 reservists have been called up for the operation, in addition to another 70,000 already in reserve. Despite reports of depletion, the IDF says reservist turnout is high, with a rate of 75-85% in most units.
In addition to the offensive on Gaza City, the IDF reports that the 99th Division is conducting defensive operations in the Israeli buffer zone in the northern Gaza Strip, while the Gaza Division is operating in the southern Gaza Strip.
According to other sources: The Israeli army has emphasized that the ultimate goal is to completely encircle Gaza City and destroy the infrastructure of resistance groups in the area. In parallel with the operation in Gaza City, the IDF’s 99th Division is conducting operations in the northern Gaza Strip, and the IDF’s Gaza Division is also deployed in the southern Gaza Strip. The simultaneous deployment of several divisions and tens of thousands of additional troops to Gaza City indicates the IDF’s efforts to change the situation on the ground. However, a full siege of Gaza City in such a densely populated urban area would entail a war of attrition that could result in heavy losses. The expansion of the operation and the mobilization of reserve forces on this scale suggest that the ongoing conflict has reached a critical stage.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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