In the midst of the changing situation in the Middle East, Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip is nearing its end and it has begun to withdraw from a number of strategic points in an orderly manner. Behind this process, however, is a devastated battlefield and geopolitical tests that cannot be ignored.
On 26 December, Israeli forces withdrew from the outskirts of Beit Hanoun town in north-eastern Gaza City, while the evacuation from the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza City was underway. The retreat left behind not only destroyed buildings, but also scattered bones, which is a portrayal of the ruthlessness of war.
However, Israel's predicament at the moment goes far beyond that. None of the three goals originally proposed: to stop the rocket attacks, to return the hostages, and to eliminate Hamas, were not achieved. In particular, with regard to rocket raids, not only have rockets from the Gaza Strip continued unabated, but rockets from the Lebanese direction have continued to increase. On 25 December, Lebanese Allah forces again carried out a large-scale rocket attack on Israel, targeting the Israeli military base in Liman.
The war has pushed Israel into the quagmire of fighting on multiple fronts. Seven Iranian-backed coalition forces, from Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, Iraq, Yemen and Iran, have launched attacks against Israel. And Israel is already under more pressure than it can handle, responding to only six of the seven different threats.
Behind this withdrawal is the fact that Israel is in a difficult situation in the ground offensive. The three goals that were originally thought to be three goals came to naught, and Israel had to face the dilemma of its ground forces. And the ground war in the Gaza Strip is gradually becoming confusing. The Palestinian side skillfully used inducement tactics, and the Israeli army was deeply trapped in it and caught in the counterattack of the Palestinian side. Israel's expected strategic victory has become slim.
At the same time, the war has spread to the cyber battlefield. Iranian hacker groups launched a cyberattack on Israel's power system, resulting in massive blackouts across the country. Although Israel officially claims that it was a "common equipment failure", it is widely believed to be the result of a cyberattack. On this new front, Israel has to face threats from cyberspace.