Israel at War: Day 103
Wednesday, January 17, marks the 103rd day of the war in Israel. Below is an overview of all the current events thus far.
20:00
A group of militants attempting to launch an anti-tank missile towards Israeli troops in Deir al-Balah was eliminated. The IDF press service notes that the militants were located in an area from which rockets had been launched in recent days.
In Rafah, an IDF aircraft struck a launch pad used to fire a rocket toward Israeli territory on the morning of January 17th.
Over 1,000 IDF troops are involved in the anti-terrorist operation in Tulkarm. Exits from the city are blocked. More than 10 people suspected of terrorism were detained, and dozens of suspects were questioned on the spot. In the past 7 hours, 9 militants were eliminated from the air.
19:00
The IDF targeted terrorists in southern Lebanon just before they launched a rocket towards Rosh HaNikra.
Soldiers from the 646th reserve brigade "Shualei Marom" and the engineering unit of the 710th battalion located and destroyed the rocket launchers used to attack Netivot the previous day.
During a visit to the naval commando base (Shayetet 13) in Atlit, Defense Minister Yoav Galant reiterated that the fight against Hamas in the Gaza Strip will continue until the organization is eliminated.
"If we don't deal with Hamas, living in Israel will become untenable," he stated, affirming that IDF operations in Gaza will persist "until the abducted individuals are returned and the threat posed by Hamas is neutralized."
18:00
An alarm sounded in populated areas of the Upper Galilee. The alarm was heard in the following settlements: Dalton, Jish, Alma, Rehaniya, Kadita, Meron, and Kfar Hoshen.
The IDF reported the deaths of two soldiers during recent incidents. Staff Sergeant Oriya Aimalk Goshen, 21, from Jerusalem, a member of the Givati Brigade, was killed in action in the southern Gaza Strip. Reserve Ensign Anwar Serhan, 26, from Hurfeish, a member of the 910th Battalion of the Etzion Brigade, died in a car accident in central Israel.
Additionally, in the battle where Staff Sergeant Oriya Aimalk Goshen was killed, a Givati soldier and officer were seriously wounded. In the accident resulting in the death of Anwar Serhan, a reserve soldier of the 910th Battalion of the Etzion Brigade was seriously injured.
17:00
A rocket launched from southern Lebanon reportedly landed on a vacant lot near the shore in Rosh HaNikra. About 20 rockets were fired into the Western Galilee, with some also reported in the Metula area. No casualties have been reported.
16:00
Hezbollah militants once again fired rockets at Israeli territory from southern Lebanon. Rocket alarms sounded in Metula, Shlomi, Rosh HaNikra, the Achziv Miluot industrial area, Liman, and Betzet.
Several rockets fell in the Metula area, but there are no reports of casualties at this stage. In response, Israel targeted Hezbollah's terrorist infrastructure in the Al-Khiam region of southern Lebanon.
15:00
Alarms sounded in the Upper Galilee and Golan Heights, suggesting a potential attempt to infiltrate UAVs into Israeli airspace. This was the first air raid alarm of the day.
According to Al Jazeera, the IDF conducted an airstrike on the southern outskirts of Gaza City.
14:00
On January 17, IDF forces, along with General Security Service (Shin Bet) and Border Police (MAGAV) officers, detained 26 terrorist suspects in Judea and Samaria. The detainees were handed over to Shin Bet investigators for questioning.
IDF operations in Tulkarm resulted in armed clashes with local militants, leading to the elimination of a group of militants who had fired at soldiers of the 636th Brigade. Additionally, an IDF reservist was seriously wounded and taken to the hospital.
In the village of Bani Naim, the houses of two terrorists responsible for the Ra'anana attack were marked for destruction. Meanwhile, in Beit Anan, fighters from the Benjamin Brigade confiscated equipment and sealed a printing house that produced propaganda materials for Hamas.
The IDF also reported the elimination of a group of terrorists in Balata. Additionally, sources in Gaza reported that the IDF struck a target in the An-Najjar area, east of Rafah, in the southern part of the strip.
13:00
Sources in Gaza report that the IDF targeted a "group of citizens" in the northern Gaza Strip, resulting in fatalities. Based on the footage shown, it appears that young men, likely militants, were killed.
There are also reports of gunfire in northern Gaza.
12:00
The IDF conducted a series of strikes on January 17 targeting locations in southern Lebanon. The Israeli Air Force targeted Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in the Hula area. An IDF tank struck a target in the Ayta ash Shab area, while IDF artillery fired at a target in the Ad-Dahir area.
Additionally, the IDF attacked a building in the Maroun area where militants were hiding. In response to an attempted firing of an anti-tank missile at an Israeli target, a source of fire in Lebanon was also targeted.
11:00
The Gaza Ministry of Health, affiliated with Hamas, reported on January 17 that since the beginning of hostilities on October 7 in the Gaza Strip, 24,448 people have been killed, and 61,504 have been injured to varying degrees.
According to Palestinian Authority sources, an Israeli drone attacked a group of militants in Tulkarm.
09:00
The Gaza Ministry of Health, which is linked to Hamas, reported the discovery of 25 bodies and several wounded among the rubble in Gaza City's Ad-Daraj area.
Sources in Gaza stated that the IDF carried out airstrikes, naval strikes, and artillery attacks in the Ansar area and near the Gaza City port.
The IDF released updates on the ground military operation in Gaza over the past 24 hours. According to the IDF, Bilal Noufal, responsible for counterintelligence in Hamas leadership in the southern Gaza Strip, was eliminated in a joint operation with the IDF Air Force and the Shin Bet.
Additionally, soldiers of the 646th brigade located and destroyed three ten-barrelled launchers used by terrorists to shell Netivot on January 16.
In Khan Yunis, soldiers of the 7th Brigade identified and eliminated three militants. Fighters of the 179th Brigade identified and eliminated two militants by air strike near the Sheikh Ijlin area in central Gaza. Naval forces also targeted operational facilities of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
08:00
Al-Jazeera reported that IDF positions in the Mount Dov area were fired upon from Lebanon.
Additionally, the IDF conducted an operation near Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip. After the military withdrew, seven bodies were discovered at the site.
Furthermore, the IDF and the Shin Bet eliminated the head of the terrorist infrastructure in the Balata camp in Nablus, who, along with his squad, was planning a large-scale terrorist attack.
The liquidated terrorist leader was identified as Abdullah Abu Shalal. The car he was in, along with other militants, was targeted by an airstrike, reportedly carried out using an attack drone. Weapons were found in the militants' car following the operation.
According to the Shin Bet, Abdullah Abu Shalal was responsible for several attacks in 2023, including a terrorist attack in the Shimon HaTzadik neighborhood of Jerusalem in April 2023, which injured two Israeli citizens, and a bomb attack in October 2023 that injured an IDF soldier.
The terrorist group led by Abdullah Abu Shalal received funding and instructions from Iran, interacting with terrorist headquarters in the Gaza Strip and abroad, the Shin Bet stated.
06:00
The IDF reported that two soldiers were killed during fighting in the northern Gaza Strip on January 16. Their names have been released.
Reserve Petty Officer Zechariah Pesach Haber, 32, from Jerusalem, a member of the 87th Battalion, 14th Brigade, was killed in action in the northern Gaza Strip.
Reserve Petty Officer Yair Katz, 34, from Holon, also a member of the 87th Battalion, 14th Brigade, was killed in action in the northern Gaza Strip.
Additionally, a reservist of the 52nd battalion of the 401st brigade was seriously wounded in a battle in the north of the Gaza Strip, and a military reservist from the 6261st battalion of the 261st brigade was seriously wounded near the Gaza border.
05:00
PA sources report that IDF forces are currently operating in Tulkarm, where shootings have been reported. Heavy engineering equipment is being utilized.
Additionally, IDF forces are conducting operations in Jalazone, located north of Ramallah.
Border police are also engaged in an operation in al-Eizariya, situated east of Jerusalem.
04:00
PA sources report that IDF forces are operating in Da'esh, near Bethlehem.
Additionally, a car was targeted by an Israeli drone near Balata (Nablus). There are reports of casualties.
Furthermore, IDF forces are operating in Camp Askar, east of Nablus, and in the Balata area.
03:00
The IDF carried out strikes on targets in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.
01:00
The IDF is conducting anti-terrorist operations in Azzun, Qalqilya, Deir Amar (Ramallah area), and Idna (near Hebron).
00:00
Palestinian sources report that an airstrike on a residential building in Khan Yunis resulted in the deaths of at least seven people.
The most recent attacks from Gaza were recorded around 09:43 on the morning of January 16. Typically, terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip cease firing rockets at Israeli territory overnight during the ongoing war.