According to the IDF, close to the time when the IDF was weighing entering Al-Shifa, there was Shin Bet and IDF intelligence which indicated that Hamas forces were in the Qatar facility and the MRI facility of the complex.

Eventually, the IDF would find many items of terror infrastructure in many places, but the IDF Shaldag special forces’ original mission was to get to those two facilities as quickly as possible, starting with the Qatari facility.

How the IDF entered Al-Shifa Hospital

The IDF entered the complex by blowing through a side wall, as opposed to the main entrance, near a booby-trapped pickup truck to get to the Qatar facility as quickly as possible.

Eventually, a mix of drones and special units searching for the tunnel found a suspicious-looking small covered structure.

The IDF destroyed the structure with a D9 bulldozer, and only after destroying it, was the IDF able to detect the hidden top of the tunnel.

Once it found the tunnel, the IDF used various technologies to inspect the tunnel, finding it had a long spiral stairwell.

Eventually, the IDF arrived deep into the tunnel and was stopped by thick reinforced doors.

The IDF was working on a plan to breach the doors to continue to follow the tunnel, either to other tunnels or out into open areas.

IDF intelligence estimates that Hamas battalion commanders used such tunnels from Al-Shifa’s strategic location and large size, to easily maneuver between different neighborhoods and fronts without the IDF being able to track them from the air.

More tunnels likely to be found, Israeli intel indicates

Further, intelligence estimates indicate that other tunnels are likely to be found shortly.

The IDF also gave a more exact distance of 50-100 meters from Al-Shifa for its location of the bodies of multiple Israelis taken by Hamas on October 7, whose remains have been brought back to Israel.

It was unclear how long the IDF would remain in control of Al-Shifa and would continue to uncover aspects of Hamas’s use of the area for terror purposes.

But if in the first 24 hours of the operation, the IDF was considering wrapping up the inspections within days, it seems now that the IDF will take much longer to continue to meticulously uncover all Hamas connections to the area.

It is unclear when and if the hospital will return to service any earlier than whenever the full-on stage of the war ends.

This is a developing story.

The group said five days ago that it could target Israeli ships in the Red Sea or the Bab al-Mandab straits, a strategic maritime chokepoint that links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.

The Houthis have already used cruise missiles, a ballistic missile, and drones to target Israel since October 7. The official Houthi slogan is “Death to America, death to Israel, curse the Jews.”

It views itself as part of the Iranian-backed axis of groups in the region and has been viewed as a terrorist group by some countries. The US de-listed the Houthis as terrorists in February 2021; since then, they have increased their threats to Israel.

The Houthi-linked news network Al Masirah said on Sunday that the Houthis “will target all types of ships that carry the flag of the Zionist entity or are operated by or owned by Israeli companies, calling on all countries of the world to withdraw their citizens working on the crews of the enemy entity’s ships, and to avoid shipping on them.”

The report says that this is based on the Houthis “religious, national, and moral responsibility to support Gaza.” They accuse Israel of massacre and genocide. The group then lists the kinds of ships they may target.

Ships flying Israeli flags may be targeted

These include “ships carrying the flag of the Zionist entity, ships operated by Israeli companies, ships owned by Israeli companies,” the report says.

Maritime shipping is complex because many shipping companies own ships that fly the flag of a third country due to the complexities of global shipping registries.

In the past, Iran has targeted commercial ships using drones in the Gulf of Oman, claiming to target ships linked to Israel. In addition, Iran has used naval mines against ships and used the IRGC to raid ships, usually linked to sanctions issues with the West, or financial disputes.

Iran has targeted ships from the US, UK, South Korea and other countries.

The Houthis are now increasing their threats to ships. US naval warship the USS Thomas Hudner shot down a drone on Wednesday, November 15.

On October 20, the USS Carney also intercepted four cruise missiles and 15 drones in the Red Sea. It is believed these were Houthi attempts to target Israel.