IDF on alert in Gaza as ‘weakened’ Hamas thought to be trying to rearm amid Iran war

The IDF remains on high alert in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing war with Iran, though there do not appear to be any indications that the Hamas terror group is set to join the fighting alongside Tehran’s other proxies.

According to Israeli military officials, Hamas has likely been attempting to rearm amid the ongoing ceasefire in the Strip, which began in October 2025, but is nowhere near attaining the strength it had before the war.

The IDF assesses these efforts as “very limited,” largely because the group no longer has access to its primary weapons-smuggling routes.

Nevertheless, IDF officials stress that the threat is not being taken lightly. They believe Hamas is manufacturing improvised explosive devices and possibly even rockets, albeit in very small quantities.

“This is not the same Hamas; it is a significantly weakened organization,” the officials say.

Hamas is also still believed to possess hundreds of rockets manufactured before the war that were not destroyed during the IDF’s two-year-long ground offensive, as troops did not reach all areas of the Strip.

During the ongoing war with Iran over the past month, the IDF has destroyed some eight kilometers’ worth of Hamas tunnels in the Strip, the military says.

In addition, over 60 terror operatives who either crossed the ceasefire line or planned attacks on troops have been killed, the IDF says.

The military says that even during the war in Iran and the conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Southern Command “maintains forces on alert for a wide range of scenarios, including dedicated ground forces and aerial support.”

The IDF says it will “continue to thwart any emerging threat before it materializes to protect the security of the residents of the Gaza border communities and IDF troops in the area.”