The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on May 29 that it established “operational control” of the Philadelphi Corridor on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials have described Israeli operations along the corridor as meant to disrupt some of Hamas’ primary smuggling routes into the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces have uncovered around 20 tunnels that connect Egypt to the Gaza Strip in recent days. Israel was aware of some of these tunnels beforehand but not all of them. The IDF said that it has communicated with Egypt regarding the tunnels, however, an unspecified Egyptian official speaking to Egyptian media disputed this assertion.
Israeli forces are currently operating along most of the corridor, excluding a small area near the Gazan coast. The IDF said that it controls the corridor with “surveillance and fire power.” The IDF previously controlled about 70 percent of the corridor on May 22—two weeks after first advancing into Rafah on May 7. The IDF said that Hamas has used the corridor to launch rocket attacks in recent weeks because Hamas assumed that the IDF would avoid the corridor so as to not inadvertently hit Egyptian territory.
Israeli officials reportedly expect that controlling the Philadelphi corridor will prevent Hamas from importing weapons into the Gaza Strip. Hamas will continue its efforts to reconstitute throughout the Gaza Strip, despite these efforts.
Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said on May 29 that he expects fighting in the Gaza Strip to last for the remainder of 2024. Hanegbi said that Israel needs that time to destroy the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). PIJ is one of several Iranian-backed Palestinian militias that has fought alongside Hamas in the war.
Key Takeaways:
- Southern Gaza Strip: The IDF announced that it established “operational control” of the Philadelphi Corridor on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
- Iraq: Iraqi Interior Minister Abdul Amir al Shammari traveled to Tehran to discuss internal security cooperation with senior Iranian military officials.
- Yemen: Iran is broadcasting that it has helped the Houthis develop anti-ship ballistic missile capabilities.
- Northern Gaza Strip: Israeli forces have expanded their clearing operations in Jabalia in recent days.
- Humanitarian Aid: The United States suspended operations at its temporary pier in the Gaza Strip due to damage sustained at sea.
- West Bank: Palestinian fighters fired small arms at two towns in Israel from the West Bank.
- Southern Lebanon and Golan Heights: Iranian-backed militias, including Lebanese Hezbollah, conducted at least eight attacks into northern Israel.
- Iran: Policy adviser to the Iranian supreme leader, Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, appears to be re-entering public Iranian discourse ahead of the Iranian presidential election in June 2024.
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[국방부] 국방부장관, 제21차 아시아안보회의 참가
[ISW] 러시아 공세 캠페인 평가, 2024년 5월 29일