Operation Gideon's Chariots: May 22, 2025 Update

Since launching Operation Gideon’s Chariots on May 17, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have escalated to one of the most complex, multi-divisional campaigns of this war. The mission—clear and urgent—remains unchanged: return the hostages and dismantle Hamas’s military and political power in Gaza.

On the opening day of the ground offensive, the IDF struck more than 670 Hamas targets in a sweeping wave of air and ground operations. The following day, May 18, the Israeli Air Force launched another 160 precision strikes, targeting weapons depots, tunnel shafts, observation posts, and command centers. Today, five IDF divisions are deployed across Gaza: Division 162 is advancing in the north; Divisions 143 (the Gaza Division) and 36 are operating in the central and southern sectors; Division 252 is providing strategic support; and Division 98—Israel’s elite special operations formation—is conducting high-intensity combat in Khan Younis, where it has already neutralized more than 200 Hamas military infrastructures.