Israel-Hamas War: What happened on day 94?

Hezbollah and foreign media reports claimed on Monday that the IDF killed Wissam al-Tawil, known as Jawad, a key operations commander in southern Lebanon, in an air strike in Khirbat Salem, Lebanon.

It was unclear if Jawad, a reportedly significant figure within Hezbollah, had been killed as part of ongoing exchanges of fire between the IDF and Hezbollah or whether he was specifically targeted.

If he was specifically targeted, the attack would seem to be part of a series of recent escalations.

From October 8 until early December, Hezbollah attacked Israel with rockets and anti-tank missiles, but only close to the northern border, to show solidarity with Hamas, and the IDF tended to respond proportionately.

In early December, the IDF ramped up its "responses" to start destroying much of Hezbollah's forces or assets within firing range of the northern border.

Israeli artillery unit firing shells towards Lebanon near the Israeli border with Lebanon, northern Israel, January 4, 2024. (credit: Ayal Margolin/Flash90)

Just six days after assassination of senior Hamas commander in Beirut

It would also mark the second major assassination on Lebanese soil in less than a week, following the killing of Hamas's Deputy Chief of Staff Saleh al-Arouri, the senior Hamas official, in a strike in Beirut last Tuesday.

In response to that strike, Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets on Saturday and significantly damaged an important piece of the IDF's air defense capabilities in the North.

If the IDF intentionally killed Jawad, it could be the latest response to that Hezbollah attack. Early reactions suggested Hezbollah itself could escalate even further.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Arab media reported three airstrikes in the area of ​​Ayta al-Sha'ab in southern Lebanon on Sunday night. 

The reports claimed that the strikes were sent from Israel, which has not been confirmed by any Israeli source.

While Israel has not claimed responsibility for the strike, the IDF has targeted southern Lebanon in the past as it is a stronghold of the Hezbollah terror group.

More recently, the IDF and Hezbollah have exchanged drone attacks as the terrorist group began targeting Israel's northern borders in alliance with Hamas. Only a day before these alleged strikes in ​​Ayta al-Sha'ab, the Israeli Air Force's air traffic control base at Mount Meron was damaged by Hezbollah rocket fire.

Eyes on Hamas in Lebanon

Last week, a senior figure in Hamas was killed in a targeted strike, which was publicly attributed to Israel, although Israel has not claimed responsibility for it.

People carry placards with pictures of deputy head of Hamas, Saleh al-Arouri, who was killed by what Lebanese and Palestinian security sources say was a drone strike by Israel, as mourners gather during his funeral in Beirut, Lebanon January 4, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/MOHAMED AZAKIR)

Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri was in Beirut at the time of the attack, which some reports claim involved the use of six guided missiles. 

The Israeli Air Force's air traffic control base at Mount Meron was damaged by Hezbollah rocket fire on Saturday, the IDF confirmed on Sunday evening as per Army Radio.

In a response to Army Radio's report, the IDF clarified that the Air Force's air defense systems' operational preparedness was not harmed due to the attack.

Daniel Hagari commented in a press conference, "Hezbollah fired towards IDF bases and hit our northern control unit. It's important to clarify the following - there were no injuries, and the damage will be repaired."

He further stated that the IDF has launched an investigation into the incident to minimize such attacks throughout the war. In addition, he claimed that the terrorists who enacted the attack were neutralized.

Israeli artillery unit firing shells towards Lebanon near the Israeli border with Lebanon, northern Israel, January 4, 2024. (credit: AYAL MARGOLIN/FLASH90)

Eight rockets fired at Sunday barrage from Lebanon

Around eight rockets were fired from Lebanon, landing near the "Astra" army post on Mount Hermon early Sunday afternoon, the IDF said on Sunday.

The IDF has returned fire to the sources of the rockets in Lebanon.

IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, speaking to the Judea and Samaria Division on Sunday, said that Hezbollah "chose to enter this war" with Israel.

"We forced it to pay a very high price that keeps rising, it paid yesterday with seven killed and two very important targets struck," Halevi told Israeli forces. "This war will end with us having the responsibility, the duty, to return our northern residents home. 

"This will arrive either due to our growing military pressure to create a completely different reality...or we will start another war."

Despite months of saying that all of the Hamas leaders are in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, some may be in central Gaza, the Jerusalem Post has learned.

Generally before October 7, Hamas’s “civilian” functions leadership, such as Yahya Sinwar’s apparatus for governing the Gaza Strip, was in Gaza City in northern Gaza.

There was also a military quarter in Gaza City where Hamas military chief Muhammad Deif spent time.

However, either in preparation for the October 7 invasion, around the time of the IDF invasion of October 25-27, or at the latest, once they saw that the IDF was invading for real and routing Hamas forces, the Hamas leadership fled in a southern direction from Gaza City.

For months, all top IDF and defense officials said that most or all of the hostages and Hamas high command had fled to southern Gaza, most likely to Khan Yunis.

A Christian Lebanese hacker group has allegedly targeted Beirut airport with messages condemning attempts by Iran and Hezbollah to draw Lebanon into a war with Israel, according to footage circulating online and a report by ABC News on Sunday. 

BREAKING:

Christian Lebanese hackers launch a cyber-attack against the Beirut Airport, forced it to close down.

Messages appeared at all screens, condemning Hezbollah & Iran for trying to drag Lebanon into war with Israel.

Message in comments ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/PWjcLc0jp7

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) January 7, 2024

Screens displayed at the airport, rather than sharing flight information, allegedly displayed messages from the group ‘Soldiers of God.’ The group has denied their involvement on social media, according to ABC News. 

“Hassan Nasrallah, you will no longer have supporters if you curse Lebanon with a war for which you will bear responsibility and consequences,” the message read.

pic.twitter.com/NREj4JLZDP

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) January 7, 2024

Tensions between Lebanon and Israel have escalated as Hezbollah has launched a number of drone attacks into Israel’s northern border communities. 

Only hours ago, Arab media had reported that Israel had launched 3 airstrikes into southern Lebanon, a known stronghold for Hezbollah. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack, nor for the strike last week which killed Hamas deputy al-Arouri. 

Hezbollah's leader Nasrallah previously warned his movement "cannot accept" the alleged Israeli assassination of deputy Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri, noting that "with certainty that this will not go without a response or punishment," he said. "Whoever thinks of war with us will regret it and the price of war with us will be very costly. If war is waged against us, then the Lebanese national interests require that we take the war to the end."