The IDF must be prepared to begin large-scale operations to take control of areas across the Yellow Line, Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen Eyal Zamir said during a Sunday situation assessment in the Gaza Strip.
Zamir followed the assessment with a visit to Rafah.
“The IDF operates in a changing reality and is contending with challenges across various arenas," Zamir said. "We must be prepared for a rapid transition to a large-scale activity to establish operational control of areas in the Gaza Strip, if required."
"Our troops continue operating along the Yellow Line to clear the area and eliminate terrorist strongholds," Zamir went on, noting that the IDF will keep its directive until Hamas is disarmed and the Strip demilitarized.
The Southern Command will also continue "eliminating terrorists and dismantling underground terrorist infrastructure sites" while protecting Israeli soldiers in the field.
Zamir also noted the October 7 inquiry committee he formed upon becoming chief of staff "out of full commitment to the truth and a desire to lead a deep process of learning and implementation of lessons."
"We will remember the events of October 7 for eternity," he concluded, thanking all those under his command for their "actions and for the achievements throughout the war.”
"I have just been updated by the Deputy Chief of Staff that the operation to destroy Hamas's terror tunnels in Gaza is progressing well," Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote in a Sunday post to X/Twitter. "The IDF is acting to destroy the tunnels using explosives, or by pouring liquid concrete into the tunnels throughout the area under its control."
IDF kills terrorists who cross Yellow Line, destroys terror tunnels
Hamas terrorists have been seen crossing the Yellow Line into IDF-controlled territory nearly every day, the IDF said in a Saturday social media post.
Last week, five terrorists were killed by the IDF as they attempted to cross the line and harm Israeli troops.
Additionally, on Friday night, the IDF destroyed a tunnel complex where three members from the military’s 92nd Shimshon Battalion in the Kfir Brigade were killed 11 months ago.
Initial investigations published shortly after the three soldiers’ deaths said that they entered a booby-trapped area.
In this context, several possibilities were raised regarding what could have led to their deaths. The first was that a Hamas scout detected the troops and activated an improvised explosive device from afar, and the other was that one of the troops stepped on a tripwire, which set off the device and the explosion.
Amichai Stein contributed to this report.