According to Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)—a terrorist group with close ties to Iran—Israel killed one of its senior commanders in Damascus on March 19. Yoni Ben Menachem suggests this assassination is part of an attempt by Jerusalem to preempt a campaign of terror being planned for the month of Ramadan, which began yesterday:
Ali Ramzi Alaswad . . . was killed at the door to his house in the Qudsiya neighborhood of Damascus. Two men ambushed him in the morning near his car when he left his home, shooting him repeatedly. Alaswad was planning attacks against Israel in the coming weeks. Presumably, the Israeli Mossad followed him for a long time.
The Israeli security establishment is genuinely concerned about the continued growth of terrorist groups in the northern West Bank. Islamic Jihad has established nine new armed terrorist groups there, which receive financial aid and weapons from Iran. [It] has been leading terrorist operations in the northern West Bank since the end of the IDF operation in the Gaza Strip in May 2021 and following the escape of six terrorists from Gilboa prison (and their recapture) in September 2021. Five were from Islamic Jihad.
Israel is entering an extremely sensitive security period, and the targeted killings in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and abroad are an integral part of the tools that Israel uses to fight terrorists and for deterrence. Israel has a bank of targets at the top of the terrorist organizations: senior terrorists who plan to harm Israel’s citizens and its security forces.
Read more on Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs: https://jcpa.org/israels-pre-emptive-offensive-against-palestinian-islamic-jihad/