Thread by @YadlinAmos

Escalation in Gaza: decapitating Palestinian Islamic Jihadist Abu al-Ataa was rightful and necessary, as he was planning terror attacks, undermining security and Gaza stabilization efforts. 1/12

This was a superb intelligence and operational feat. Let terror organizations understand remember that their leadership decapitation is within Israel’s reach.
2/12

Strategically, this operation does not fundamentally change the basic Gaza situation, as the Strip continues to pose a military threat to Israel, both from Hamas as its ruling government as well as from other significant rogues like PIJ.
3/12

The terror organizations’ continued buildup will ultimately demand a wider-scale military and political campaign. The current battle day is not a strategic campaign. Israel accomplished its defined operational objective at its very start – and so it now seeks to end it.
4/12

Israel’s focus on PIJ only is deviates from its usual approach to hold the ruling Hamas accountable to anything happening from Gaza. Hamas is thus left with considerable room for maneuver.
5/12

Hamas’s restraint is noteworthy, as until now it avoids taking part in the fighting. Not only it was not damaged by the cost to PIJ, but has actually benefited from the 🇮🇱operation against al Atta’s rogue operations harmed the Hamas’s interests and those of the people of Gaza.
6/

Israel and Hamas share interests in preventing escalation, but that dynamic is still unfolding, as it is easier to plan the initiation of operations than their termination. It is reasonable to assume that the two sides are in touch through mediators in Cairo.
7/12

On the operational level, Israel is combining defensive efforts as civil defense, rocket defense, targeting of enemy rocket launching squads, and offensive operations such as striking PIJ assets and arms stockpiles.
8/12

All of this is meant to limit and shorten the fighting, exact a price from PIJ, and to be on the safe side on populace protection measures.
9/12

Even if Iran took no part in PIJ’s latest decisions to launch attacks, the resources it has invested in the terror group over time now allow it to threaten Israeli citizens within a range of 80km from Gaza. doorstep of Israel’s next Gov’t, no matter who leads it.
10/12

The IDF must capitalize on this round to degrade as much as possible of PIJ’s capabilities and buildup.
This was a non-political move, an intelligence success and a necessary operational initiative to defend against a ticking time bomb.
11/12

Even after Egypt brokers a ceasefire, the questions of Gaza in particular and Iran’s proxy war throughout the region in general will wait on the doorstep of Israel’s next Gov’t, no matter who leads it.
12/12 END