Smoke, Drones, and Mega-Bombs: IDF Masses Troops Outside Gaza's Gates
As Israeli airstrikes pound the city's outskirts, ground forces are amassed at the border with robotic vehicles, heavy engineering tools, and drones, preparing for the final offensive.
Amidst plumes of smoke from unrelenting airstrikes, Israeli ground forces are amassed on the outskirts of Gaza City, preparing for the next phase of their operation. A reporter, embedded with the troops, witnessed a massive buildup of advanced and unconventional military equipment along the border. Soldiers from the Givati Brigade were seen covered in dust, preparing for the imminent push. One soldier remarked, "We are deep in the territory. Waiting for orders. We have not yet entered the center of Gaza City."
The IDF has deployed a range of specialized tools for the operation. Decades-old armored personnel carriers, once destined for scrap, have been converted into remote-controlled "mega-bombs" used by combat engineers to clear paths of explosives and neutralize threats in areas that have been evacuated by civilians. Additionally, dozens of heavy engineering vehicles, some civilian and some military-grade, are staged at the border. A military source revealed that these vehicles are "waiting for orders to enter the main and secondary effort" and that many have already begun moving inward to build new roads and clear areas.
The IDF is also relying on an extensive fleet of drones. Operated from inside Israeli territory, these heavy drones serve as the "eyes in the deep" for the ground forces. A military source explained that they provide crucial intelligence by spotting militants and identifying safe routes.
On the ground, two divisions have begun their advance into the center of Gaza City from the surrounding neighborhoods of Sheikh Radwan, Zaytun, and Kfar Jabalia, with a third division expected to join them. The IDF claims to have already secured control of 40% of the city. While there has been little direct engagement with militants so far, the IDF estimates that between 2,000 and 2,500 Hamas militants remain in the city, mostly in underground tunnels. The military plans a gradual operation that will intensify over time to prepare the ground for deeper movement.