The Israeli Security Cabinet has approved a new “operational plan … to defeat Hamas in Gaza and bring back the hostages,” a senior official said overnight on Sunday. The operation — codenamed “Gideon’s Chariots” — involves “seizing and holding territory in Gaza, moving its population southward for their protection, preventing Hamas from distributing humanitarian aid, and launching powerful strikes against Hamas — all actions that will help bring about its defeat.”

“It sounds like this is much more aggressive than we’ve seen in the past. It’s almost as if they want to finish this off,” Family Research Council President Tony Perkins remarked on “Washington Watch.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the “intensified action in Gaza,” such that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will station reserves in territories seized by combat. Operation Gideon’s Chariots — ironically named after an Israeli judge who fought neither in Gaza nor with chariots — follows a “clear, hold, build” strategy.

Hamas Destruction

“We must destroy Hamas,” insisted Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi. “We must hold the territory — not raids, but continuous and deep control.” Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich celebrated that “We are finally going to occupy the Gaza Strip. We will stop being afraid of the word ‘occupation.’”

To achieve this purpose with minimum civilian casualties, Netanyahu announced a “movement of the population in order to protect them.” Under the plan, the IDF would also oversee the distribution of humanitarian aid to ensure it did not fall into the hands of Hamas.

This step is necessary because Palestinian civilians are “still being blocked [from] leaving by Egypt,” explained Chris Mitchell, CBN’s Middle East bureau chief, on “Washington Watch.” “In a war zone, usually people have freedom or they can try to escape. But right now, since October 7th and the war began, most of these Palestinians are unable to leave. They’ve really been sort of human shields … by Hamas against the IDF.”

The operation represents “a huge, significant change in strategy by the IDF,” added Mitchell. “They’re no longer going to have sort of these special operations, where they take over land in Gaza, but then they leave it.”

Israel has mobilized anywhere from 60,000 to 100,000 reservists, Mitchell estimated, in preparation for the “vast” and hopefully “decisive” operation. “They already control about 30% of the Gaza Strip, and they have done a lot of infrastructure to make sure that this plan goes into effect.”

Amid these final preparations, Israel delivered one final ultimatum to Hamas, demanding the release of 10 hostages in exchange for a 45-day ceasefire. Hamas still holds 59 hostages in Gaza, although Israel believes only 24 of the hostages are still alive.

Israel will likely commence the operation after President Trump completes a Middle Eastern tour, visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the U.A.E. from May 13-16. Even then, Mitchell said the operation would unfold “in stages.”

However, Israel delivered the ultimatum to Hamas now because “Once the operation begins, there will be no withdrawal from land we conquer — not for any deal,” Smotrich warned Monday. “The only way to free the hostages is to defeat Hamas. Any withdrawal would bring the next October 7.”

“That was the IDF chief of staff’s recommendation — to move, as he said, toward the defeat of Hamas. He believes this will also help us rescue the hostages. I agree with him,” Netanyahu explained. “We are not letting up on this effort and will not give up on anyone.”

The Israeli Security Cabinet unanimously approved the operation on Sunday in a late-night meeting, on the recommendation of IDF Chief of Staff Lt. General Eyal Zamir. Zamir ascended to the IDF’s top spot earlier this year when Israel took advantage of a temporary ceasefire with Hamas to reshuffle its military leadership in preparation for bold, offensive strokes.

Houthi Distraction

The decision came shortly after Houthi terrorists in Yemen — allied with Hamas and controlled by Iran — struck Israel’s Ben Gurion airport with a ballistic missile — only “about three or four football fields away from the main terminal,” Mitchell commented. “In the past several weeks. Israel has shot down 26 of the 27 ballistic missiles that Yemen has fired. But this one did get through,” he said. “One of the interceptors by the Iron Dome failed.”

As this incident illustrates, missile defenses are not perfect, and missile defenses alone cannot provide an effective deterrent, argued National Review’s Noah Rothman. “It should be obvious by now that the sort of protection civilians in responsive democracies demand from the state can only be achieved by neutralizing those missiles at their source.” This observation has surely not escaped the notice of the Israeli Security Cabinet, which approved an aggressive new strategy within hours of the strike.

Israeli fighter jets also responded to the attacks directly. On Tuesday, they struck Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, including the port of Hodeidah, Yemen’s main international airport, and the capital Sana’a.

For their part, the Houthis have been losing a months-long gunfight with the U.S. Navy. According to Ynet’s Ron Ben-Yishai, American intelligence and targeting capabilities have grown so precise that “the Houthis are rushing to launch missiles and drones before they can be destroyed.” The Houthis can ill afford to fight both the U.S. Navy and the Israeli Air Force — not to mention the 80,000-man army reportedly amassed by Yemen’s legitimate government.

On Tuesday, hours after the Israeli air bombardment, the Houthis reportedly struck a truce with the U.S., promising not to fire upon Red Sea shipping if the U.S. Navy stopped firing upon its positions. President Trump announced the ceasefire — which Oman said it brokered — while a Houthi statement issued Tuesday made no mention of the ceasefire but reaffirmed its support of Hamas in Gaza.

Notably, Israel was not a party to the ceasefire. Thus, America disengaged with the Houthis at virtually the same time that Israel seriously engaged them. This will likely not quench Israeli doubts that the Trump administration may not back them to the bitter end.

On the other hand, perhaps America has disengaged from the Houthis so that it can concentrate all its forces upon Iran, the common master of Hamas and the Houthis. “It’s really Iran [that] is the mastermind,” Mitchell mentioned. “They’re the ones [who] are really controlling” what the Houthis do.

Hostage Deliverance

Yet Israel has already demonstrated its ability to fight Iran’s proxies on multiple fronts simultaneously. It bested Hamas, then crippled Hezbollah in Lebanon, while also fending off attacks from the Houthis, Iran itself, and various other proxies in Judea, Samaria, Syria, and Iraq. A few cruise missiles — even if they ultimately cause greater damage — will not deter Israel from the far more important mission of securing its own soft underbelly from future attacks out of Gaza.

Indeed, not even the lives of the remaining hostages will deter Israel from its ultimate goal of bringing the war to a satisfactory conclusion, and swiftly. “The IDF chief of staff, as he presented this proposal to the security cabinet, said it could mean the loss of some of the lives of the hostages,” admitted Mitchell. “But, right now, that’s where they believe they need to go and to really, really bring an end to this war.”

“This move does endanger the hostages — it doesn’t help them — but there is no other choice but to bring about a decisive outcome,” argued Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar. “Hamas may soon realize it has no choice but to return the captives and remove itself from Gaza.”

If President Trump wants peace, the Israeli people want it much more. But they understand that peace can only be achieved by eliminating the threats of Hamas and Iran, both sworn to their destruction.

As in the days of Esther, a genocidal enemy seeks “to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children” (Esther 3:13). As in the days of Esther, the people of God must respond with lamentation and prayer (Esther 4:3, 16).

In fact, this unique people has been targeted and persecuted throughout history, yet they have survived and escaped so many times that it is hard to attribute to mere coincidence. As in the book of Esther, God often works behind the scenes to deliver the Jews, saving them through the hidden hand of providence even when he does not directly display his power.

Israel has been partially hardened “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25), but God has not irrevocably abandoned them (Romans 11:29). He still purposes to save them by his mercy. Therefore, Christians should pray in accordance with God’s will, that he will not only preserve the Jewish nation from the murderous wrath of their enemies, but also from his own holy wrath against their sin, that many Jews might ultimately turn to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.