As fighting escalates along Israel’s northern border, Israel faces a critical juncture on another front: Hamas in the Gaza Strip
The IDF is continuing to assess whether Hamas will agree to disarm or whether increased military pressure, potentially including a ground maneuver into the heart of Gaza, will be required to force the terror group to do so.
Israeli forces demolish Hamas tunnel in central Gaza
(Video: IDF)
In the meantime, Israeli forces are deepening their defensive posture in the area extending to the so-called “yellow line” ceasefire demarcation, a deployment that could also help shape future operations along the northern border.
The military is methodically targeting terrorist infrastructure and clearing the area between the border and the yellow line, a distance that varies by sector. What began as temporary defensive positions has become permanent outposts. A close look at the situation makes one thing clear: Israeli forces are there to stay for the long term.
The military understands that if a ground maneuver is needed in Gaza to disarm Hamas, Southern Command will require greater attention from the air force and Military Intelligence Directorate, both of which are currently focused on the northern front.
For now, the border with Gaza remains in an intensive wartime routine. According to the military spokesperson’s office, troops from the Kfir Brigade combat team, operating under the 143rd Division, are clearing the central camps east of the yellow line.
Working with engineering forces, the troops destroyed two underground routes totaling about 2 kilometers, or 1.2 miles, where they found living quarters, weapons, dozens of rockets and explosive devices.
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Targeted Israeli strike on a car in Gaza, May 6, 2026
(Photo: AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
A senior military official said about 8 kilometers, or 5 miles, of tunnels have been cleared in the security zone over the past six months, and that about 100 terrorists have been killed in Gaza since the start of Operation Roaring Lion in late February.
Operational activity continues around the clock. On Sunday, Southern Command forces identified armed terrorists of Hamas' elite Nukhba force who were planning imminent attacks against Israeli forces in southern Gaza.
Over the weekend, 14th Armored Brigade troops operating in northern Gaza identified two terrorists acting suspiciously and approaching forces. In both cases, the air force directed fire and eliminated the threat.
Southern Command officials understand that Hamas is trying to rebuild while attention is focused on Iran and Lebanon, but they insist current operations are aggressive and becoming more effective by the day.
“Every threat is attacked, even if it is deep inside Gaza,” a senior military official said. “We have the tools we need from the air force and Military Intelligence. More can always be done, but wherever there are threats, we act.”
The military believes Hamas is placing its operatives at junctions in an effort to project control. The terrorist organization is recruiting new members, working to manufacture various weapons, some improvised, and trying to rebuild its military capabilities.
“We take into account that Hamas sees what is happening with FPV drones in the north and likely wants to obtain similar capabilities, though we have not identified anything like that here so far,” the official said, referring to the growing use of explosive-laden drones against Israeli forces in Lebanon and the border region.
“At the same time, our hold on the ground is significantly more effective now. We are not stuck in positions. We initiate raids and attacks deep inside the sector. Can they attack us? Certainly. That is a major concern, but we are moving and maintaining mobility at all times.”
Troops deployed along the yellow line are optimistic. The current deployment gives them fire and observation control over large areas in the heart of Gaza and provides a stronger starting point for any future confrontation.
“We are at Gaza’s gates, ready for whatever is required of us,” the security official said.
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Targeted Israeli strike on a car in Gaza, May 10, 2026
(Photo: AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
The military is emphasizing the elimination of “field ranks,” the terrorists who carry out attacks on the ground.
“There are many targeted killings of terrorists, the ones who actually carry out terrorist activity,” a security official said. “Sometimes that is much more effective than targeting a senior figure everyone knows who appears only in photographs. Effective eliminations come from the combination of everything.”
Hamas, for its part, is showing no signs of surrender. As U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan fails to mature, Israel’s political leadership may announce a ramping up of military pressure. That does not necessarily mean a broad house-to-house maneuver; other scenarios involving more focused pressure are also possible.
For now, the current deployment along the yellow line is creating exposed “kill zones” where the rules of engagement are clear and sharp.
Hamas is learning the new reality and trying to challenge Israeli forces through ambushes, explosive devices and by sending civilians with children toward the line. But the military response remains professional.
Two questions remain open: What will happen if thousands of Gazans surge toward the security zone, and whether Hamas will persist in refusing to disarm. One thing is clear: The military will continue to deepen its security concept along the yellow line, signaling to all residents of the Gaza border communities that the army will stand between them and the threat.