“This operation has no time limit,” clarifies Colonel A., commander of the Menashe Brigade, in an interview with the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.
“The terrorists in this area receive financial support from external sources, including Iran and Hamas, and we are determined to prevent them and the terror networks from gaining strength,” Colonel A. emphasized. He noted that, as a direct result of the ongoing security operation, the area has remained quiet without riots for the past week.
“Every Targeted House Was Used for Terrorist Activity”
The brigade commander stressed that “every house affected during the operation was used for terrorist activity in one way or another—whether it contained a weapons manufacturing lab or served as an operational command center for terrorists. There is a clear reason for its destruction. We minimize damage to civilian infrastructure as much as possible, but we do whatever is necessary when it comes to fighting terrorism.”
“We Will Leave Only When the Mission Is Complete”
Over the past week, during the Menashe Brigade’s operation, the IDF, Border Police, and Shin Bet (General Security Service) have successfully eliminated over 15 terrorists through airstrikes and ground combat, arrested more than 40 wanted individuals, and seized dozens of weapons and combat equipment found in the area.
“We will leave only when the mission is complete—to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure down to its core,” stated the sector commander.
Terrorists Hiding in Children’s Bedrooms
Lieutenant Colonel D., commander of the Haruv Reconnaissance Unit, which has been leading operations in the Menashe Brigade sector for the past year, described the dual lives led by terrorists, operating out of what appear to be ordinary homes.
As an example, he recounted entering an innocent-looking house where one room was decorated with a ‘Hannah Montana’ sticker, indicating it belonged to a teenage girl. However, behind a wooden wardrobe, they discovered a hidden passage leading to a fully operational combat room used by terrorists in Jenin until just recently.
“This Operation Is Different”
“Ultimately, we have been here for more than a year, conducting regular operations in this sector,” Lieutenant Colonel D. elaborated. “However, it is important to emphasize that this current operation is different from those before it. We aim to dismantle terrorist networks in Jenin so that they will not be able to recover once we leave. I don’t know how long this will take, but I assume we won’t be leaving anytime soon. As you can see, the job is not done, and we are here to finish it.”
