Wednesday's briefing covers the IDF's ongoing operations against Hezbollah remnants in southern Lebanon and against militants in Gaza, a growing political row over a controversial documentary, and international reaction to a Houthi drone strike on Mecca.

Security

Commanders from the Egoz and Maglan units gave detailed accounts of the months-long battle for the Ali Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, describing it as one of the most complex terrains the IDF has fought in, involving prolonged ambushes in extreme cold and heat, close-quarters combat and specialist teams brought in to destroy what they called a critical Hezbollah strategic asset, finally eliminated on the eve of Rosh Hashanah. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, visiting the 91st Division, said the campaign against Hezbollah is not over and that the IDF will not allow the group to rebuild its capabilities south of the Litani, adding that dismantling Hezbollah's weapons under any agreement with Beirut depends on the Lebanese army significantly improving its effectiveness on the ground. In Gaza, the IDF said it killed three Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives in northern Gaza in strikes targeting militants who had been repeatedly violating the ceasefire by preparing to fire on and plant explosives against Israeli forces. Separately, the IDF confirmed that the Hamas commander who captured Israeli-American soldier Omer Neutra along with Shaked Dahan, Nimrod Cohen and Oz Daniel on 7 October was killed in a Gaza airstrike. Meanwhile, roughly 600 reservists from the Carmeli Brigade were sent home just a day before they were due to deploy to the Syrian border for a nearly four-month posting, after the IDF issued a last-minute order to cut troop numbers, drawing frustration from officers who said the soldiers were already mentally prepared for the mission. In a separate case, a Petah Tikva man was sentenced to thirteen and a half years in prison for carrying out tasks for an Iranian handler, including setting nine vehicles alight and photographing sensitive sites, in what prosecutors called the harshest sentence yet in this series of espionage-related cases. The Institute for National Security Studies also issued a rare strategic alert warning that West Bank terrorism now poses a distinct strategic threat to Israel, noting that the last such alert came just months before the 7 October attacks.

Politics

The controversy over the documentary film "NAZA" continued to dominate the political agenda. Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Savyon home of the parents of Rachel Shor, one of the film's creators, amid reports of right-wing activist involvement and online calls for violence. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he would advance legislation to strip citizenship from those he accused of "smearing" the IDF, alongside a second law that would significantly increase the amount for which people could be sued over alleged slander of the military. The Prime Minister's English-language spokesman, Doron Spielman, described the film as a "targeted attempt to undermine Israel" and said the state was preparing a counter-case, though he noted the film had yet to gain significant traction abroad. President Isaac Herzog, addressing the row, stressed that the forthcoming elections are "not a civil war" and said he saw no reason why results would not be accepted, while also commenting on Netanyahu's ongoing trial and settler violence in the West Bank. Separately, the High Court declined to reverse the Attorney General's decision barring a state-funded memorial event for the late Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, ruling the petition moot given the timing. Election frontrunner Gadi Eisenkot denied claims he had promised Bedouin leaders he would bring Ra'am into a future government, releasing a recording of the meeting in question, while Naftali Bennett said he intends to run for Prime Minister but would respect the bloc's eventual choice for the role.

International

Turkey's foreign ministry strongly condemned a Houthi drone attack targeting Mecca, reaffirming its support for Saudi Arabia's sovereignty, territorial integrity and security, and calling for an immediate halt to attacks it said threatened regional stability. In the UK, Labour MP Tahir Ali apologised after suggesting military action against Israel, saying the remarks did not reflect his views. Meanwhile, Israeli travellers are returning to Morocco in growing numbers as direct flights resumed after a three-year hiatus, with renewed interest reported in the country's synagogues, Jewish cemeteries and heritage tourism.

Sources: Ynet, Walla, www.israelhayom.co.il, Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post