For Israel, there are many challenges that will occur as the last weeks of December come and fade, including the fact that going into 2026, Jerusalem still has unsettled conflicts on many borders. In Gaza, the military is dealing with daily threats amid the ceasefire, and in Lebanon, the IDF is also eliminating Hezbollah terrorists.
The problem for Israel is that ceasefires on two borders are not bringing calm. Israeli leaders and officials appear to think that new rounds of conflict are only a matter of time.
This is partly a result of post-October 7 thinking, where there is a sense that Israel has to be constantly active, pushing back enemies and preempting attacks. This has led to Israel’s policy in Syria and predictions that more conflict is inevitable there.
This sense of endless conflict on numerous borders is very much a feature of daily news discussions in Israel. However, it is not the same in the rest of the Middle East, where the sense is that stability and peace could be emerging.
This contrast between hopes and expectations, as well as assessments, will drive the tempo of IDF operations in the coming months and also possibly lead to chafing between Israel’s policies and those of other countries.
The US, for instance, wants calm in Gaza in order to move forward with the International Stabilization Force.
The challenge for Israel is clear. Early Monday morning, the IDF said, “A short while ago, following an attempted stabbing attack against IDF soldiers in the area of Kedumim, an IDF soldier and an Israeli civilian opened fire in order to eliminate the threat.”
The day before, just after the lighting of the first candle of Hanukkah, the IDF put out a statement about operations in Lebanon.
“IDF troops, led by the Northern Command, under the direction of the Intelligence Directorate and in cooperation with the Israel Air Force, have eliminated approximately 40 terrorists in about 30 different areas across southern Lebanon since the beginning of October. These terrorists are among more than 380 terrorists who have been eliminated since the ceasefire and understandings came into effect, during which the Hezbollah terrorist organization violated the agreement more than 1,900 times,” the report said.
This followed a strike on Zakaria Yahya al-Hajj, “a senior terrorist of the Hezbollah terrorist organization in the Jwaya area in southern Lebanon.”
Syria, Lebanon, Gaza are main challenges for Israel
IDF CHIEF of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir was in northern Israel with the 91st Division, responsible for the border with Lebanon, on Sunday for the candle lighting.
He said, “We will not allow the enemy to build up power, and we will respond to any violation; our pattern of operation is clear. Yesterday, we eliminated Raad Saad, a senior operative in the Hamas military wing, who led and carried out terrorist activity for more than 30 years and was one of the orchestrators of the October 7 attack. His involvement in the attempts to reestablish and rebuild Hamas’s capabilities constituted a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement.
“Within a short period of time, we eliminated Hezbollah’s chief of staff and the head of Hamas’s production headquarters. We will not allow the enemy to reestablish themselves and will respond to any violation of the agreement. Our policy is clear: in all sectors, here, as well as in Lebanon, we will continue to operate and thwart emerging threats.”
The 91st is one of the divisions that is dealing with the multifront threat and the new tempo of operations. On the border with Syria, the 210th is doing the same work. These are territorial divisions, responsible for these various borders. The IDF also has a new Mountain Brigade in the North, securing the Hermon and Mount Dov.
This unit, the 810th, was created during the Israel-Hamas War and operates in the 210th’s sector. In December 2024, the IDF seized the peak of the Hermon and moved into a buffer zone along the Syrian border. Since then, these units have had to deal with the pressures of the border with Syria. This includes more operational activities and raids.
Further south, the IDF’s 96th Division, which was also formed during the war, conducted a major training in November. In a speech on December 3 to the IDF’s 80th Division, which deals with areas of southern Israel, Zamir also spoke about the 96th’s role today.
“Part of the adaptation and strengthening of the defense strategy is changes in our force buildup, including the establishment of the 96th Division, responsible for defending the eastern border, and the establishment of additional border defense battalions. These are significant steps in shaping the IDF’s defensive capabilities for the coming years.”
When one zooms out and looks at all this from above, it is clear that Israel faces many challenges. The forward doctrine of trying to preempt threats, operating in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria at the same time, and dealing with terror threats in the West Bank and potentially along the Egyptian and Jordanian borders is a major task for Israel today.
Without getting to a clear ceasefire or a goal in Gaza and Lebanon or an agreement with Syria, Israel will face these hurdles in December and into the next year. It’s possible that the norm becomes “managing” the conflicts in all these areas and arenas. It’s also possible that one of the fronts careens toward another conflict, as many have been warning regarding Hezbollah.