Israel announced that the Israeli Defense Forces will begin to draw down troop presence in the Gaza Strip, but claimed that it will continue operations in Gaza for many months to come. An Israeli official stated that the IDF’s strategy will pivot to “mopping up” operations in localized areas of resistance.

• Gaza residents observed Israeli tanks pull out of Gaza City on Monday, although ferocious fighting continued across the larger territory. An Israeli official stated that the troop draw-down will allow many reservists to return to their civilian occupations, which will also bolster Israel’s shrinking economy.
• A lesser focus on Gaza also allows for additional units on the Israel-Lebanon border, where fighting continues with Lebanon’s Hezbollah. The IDF carried out an air strike on Monday, and recent Israeli raids killed three Hezbollah-linked individuals in the village of Kafr Kila. An Israeli official stated the IDF will work to ensure that fighting on the Lebanese border will subside in the next six months.
• The U.S. Navy also announced that the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier will return to Virginia. The carrier has been in the Eastern Mediterranean since the outbreak of conflict in early October.

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https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/fighting-rages-gaza-israel-looks-new-phase-war-2024-01-01/