As Israeli military operations continue across Gaza and the occupied West Bank despite a fragile ceasefire, senior Israeli commanders are warning that “the conflict is far from over.” In a recent briefing, Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir emphasized that the army faces “major challenges on every front,” with particular concern over the West Bank.
Zamir stated that over the past two years, the Israeli army has “seized operational opportunities across all sectors” to strengthen what he described as national security.
He identified the southern front—referring to Gaza—as the most active theater of combat, made possible by “strong defense across all regions.”
His remarks come amid a large-scale military offensive in Jenin, in the occupied West Bank’s northern area, part of the ongoing “Operation Iron Wall” offensive, launched in January 2025.
The offensive involves ground troops, armored vehicles, and aerial support, and has expanded to include Tulkarm and other areas.
Israeli officials claim the operation “targets armed groups allegedly responsible for attacks on Israeli forces and civilians.”
Zamir warned of a “period of significant change,” citing threats from what he called “terror elements seeking to disrupt regional stabilization.” He called for “maximum readiness and proactive offensive action” to counter these threats.
During a strategic assessment with Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth and other senior officers, Zamir emphasized that the military’s ability to sustain intense combat in Gaza was contingent on coordinated defense across all fronts.
🚨BREAKING: Even after the ceasefire, Israel keeps demolishing Palestinian homes across Gaza’s “red zone” an area that makes up almost half of the Strip.
New footage from Rafah yesterday shows Israeli forces detonating and flattening entire neighborhoods, undermining every claim… pic.twitter.com/0eCj18OYuG
— Gaza Notifications (@gazanotice) October 21, 2025
According to a report by the Times of Israel, he “praised the army’s efforts as vital for maintaining balance, strengthening the security of civilians, and preserving the connection with them,” underscoring the army’s reliance on multi-front readiness to support its southern operations.
To reduce reliance on reserve forces, Zamir announced the deployment of more standing army battalions to the West Bank. The move aims to reinforce Israeli control, particularly around illegal paramilitary Israeli colonizer outposts, which have been frequent flashpoints for violence.
He stressed the need to “maintain stability, counter Palestinian operations, and continue preemptive strikes to thwart threats before they materialize.”
The statement follows the resignation of Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, who will step down in March 2026.
Halevi cited personal responsibility for the military’s failure to prevent Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.
His departure, alongside that of Southern Command head Yaron Finkelman, has intensified calls for a public inquiry into the military’s preparedness and leadership accountability.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has resisted such demands, saying that investigations must wait until the war concludes.
Meanwhile, military leaders have signaled a long-term strategy of heightened alert and sustained offensive posture, particularly in the West Bank, where tensions are still high and prospects for de-escalation appear increasingly remote.
Israeli Military Operations Intensify in West Bank Amid Leadership Changes
Israeli military operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank have continued despite a fragile ceasefire, with senior commanders warning that the conflict is far from over.
In a recent briefing, Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir emphasized that the army faces “major challenges on every front,” with particular concern for the West Bank, where violence and displacement have escalated dramatically.
Operation Iron Wall: Scope and Impact
Since January 2025, the Israeli military has conducted a large-scale military offensive known as “Operation Iron Wall,” focusing on the northern West Bank, particularly Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams refugee camps.
The onslaught, which began days after a ceasefire in Gaza, has involved ground troops, armored vehicles, tanks, and aerial support—the first deployment of tanks in the West Bank since 2002.
According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), over 40,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced from these camps, making it the largest displacement crisis in the West Bank since 1967.
The humanitarian situation is dire, with widespread destruction of homes, infrastructure, and civilian property. UNRWA has described the operation as “the longest and most destructive” since the second intifada.
Civilian casualties have mounted: at least 53 Palestinians, including children and women, were killed in the first five months of 2025 in Jenin, Tulkarem, and Tubas governorates alone.
Israeli officials claim the operation targets armed groups responsible for attacks on Israeli forces and civilians, while humanitarian organizations have raised concerns about the scale of destruction and displacement.
The children of Abdul Rahim Abu Amouna, from Al-Nuseirat refugee camp, bid a final farewell to their father, whose body was held by the Israeli occupation for nearly two years before being returned as part of the ceasefire agreement. pic.twitter.com/EZL4hBXCfT
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) October 21, 2025
Military Strategy and Troop Deployment
Lt. Gen. Zamir announced the deployment of more standing army battalions to the West Bank to relieve reservists and reinforce Israeli control, particularly around areas identified as flashpoints for violence.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that troops would remain in evacuated refugee camps for “many months” to prevent the return of residents and the resurgence of militant activity.
Israeli forces have established military posts in Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams, carrying out major bulldozing of housing units and infrastructure.
|Over 20,000 Students Killed, 31,000 Injured Since October 7, 2023|
The stated aim is to “maintain stability, counter Palestinian operations, and conduct preemptive strikes to thwart threats before they materialize.”
Leadership Changes and Calls for Accountability
The intensification of military operations coincides with significant leadership changes. Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi announced his resignation, effective March 2026, citing personal responsibility for the military’s failure to prevent Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.
Southern Command head Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman also resigned, further intensifying calls for a public inquiry into the military’s preparedness and leadership accountability.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has resisted demands for an immediate investigation, stating that inquiries must wait until the war concludes. However, public pressure for a state commission of inquiry remains strong, with bereaved families and civil society groups demanding answers and accountability for the failures of October 7.
Humanitarian and Political Context
The ongoing conflict has led to unprecedented displacement, destruction, and humanitarian need in the West Bank. Civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, and water networks, has been systematically damaged or destroyed. Human rights organizations continue to call for the protection of civilians and adherence to international law.
Meanwhile, the prospects for de-escalation remain remote. Israeli military leaders have signaled a long-term strategy of heightened alert and sustained offensive posture, particularly in the West Bank, as tensions persist and the risk of further violence remains high.
Casualty figures:
Medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported Tuesday that the death toll from Israel’s ongoing assault on the besieged enclave has risen to 68,229, with 170,369 others wounded since the start of the offensive on October 7, 2023.
According to the same sources, 13 Palestinians were killed in the past 48 hours—seven of them in direct Israeli strikes, while six bodies were recovered from beneath the rubble. An additional eight people were injured and transported to hospitals across the Strip.
Since the most recent ceasefire took effect on October 11, 2025, at least 87 Palestinians have been killed, and 311 others wounded, the sources added. Rescue teams have also recovered the remains of 432 victims from destroyed buildings during this period.
In a separate development, 15 unidentified bodies were handed over by Israeli authorities, bringing the total number of bodies returned by Israel to 165.
The figures reflect the staggering human cost of the genocide, which has devastated Gaza’s infrastructure and overwhelmed its healthcare system.
Thousands remain missing under the rubble, and hospitals continue to operate under extreme shortages of fuel, medical supplies, and personnel.
In the West Bank, Israeli forces and colonizers have killed 220 Palestinian citizens in the occupied West Bank, including 40 children and 6 women, since the beginning of this year.
Occupation forces have killed 74 Palestinians in Jenin, 39 in Nablus, 29 in Tubas, 17 in Tulkarem, 18 in Hebron, 17 in Ramallah, 9 in Bethlehem, 7 in Jerusalem, 6 in Qalqilia, 3 in Salfit, and 1 in Jericho, according to the Shireen Observatory.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed at least 67,252 Palestinians, including 20,178 children, 12,236 women, 4,820 elders and 301 journalists, and injured more than 170,203, the majority of whom are children, women and elderly.301
Sources:
- Times of Israel – Zamir says reservists in West Bank to be relieved by standing troops
- UNRWA – West Bank Flash Update #5 (May 2025)
- OCHA – West Bank Humanitarian Update (May 2025)
- Haaretz – Israel Deploys Tanks in West Bank for First Time Since 2002
- The Jerusalem Post – Herzi Halevi to Resign as IDF Chief in March 2026
- Al Jazeera – Israel’s ‘Iron Wall’ Operation Displaces Thousands in West Bank
- OCHA: Northern West Bank Humanitarian Response Update | 21 January – 30 April 2025
- West Bank Monthly Snapshot – Casualties, Property Damage and Displacement | September 2025
