From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
IDF says two divisions begin expanded ground operation in Gaza City
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Two IDF divisions, made up of tens of thousands of troops, began expanded ground operations in Gaza City overnight as the army launches a “new stage” of its offensive against Hamas, the military says.
The early stages of the offensive, dubbed “Gideon’s Chariots B” began several weeks ago with increased strikes on Hamas targets, including high-rise towers, and ground operations on the outskirts of Gaza City and in several neighborhoods in the east of the city.
The military says that the 162nd and 98th divisions are now expanding their operations in Gaza City, and in the coming days, a third division, the 36th, will also join, adding tens of thousands more soldiers to the offensive.
Overnight, a large wave of airstrikes was carried out in Gaza City, as the two divisions began to advance into new areas of Gaza City, beyond those currently under Israeli control.
In the coming days and weeks, the ground troops are set to push deeper into the city, and encircle it, as part of efforts to defeat Hamas’s forces there, according to the IDF.
The military estimates that there are thousands of Hamas operatives in Gaza City, as well as some 600,000 civilians who have not yet evacuated.
The military says IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir is commanding the offensive personally from the Southern Command.
Some 60,000 reservists have been called up for the operation, in addition to another 70,000 already in the reserves. Despite reports of burnout, the IDF claims that the turnout rate of reservists is high, 75%-85% in most units.
In addition to the Gaza City offensive, the IDF says the 99th Division is conducting defensive operations in Israel’s buffer zone in northern Gaza, while the Gaza Division is operating in the Strip’s south.
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