Operation Breaking Dawn Recap

Over three days beginning August 5, Israel conducted Operation Breaking Dawn against the Iran-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) as part of a new strategy to preempt the Gazan terrorist group’s planned attacks, restore deterrence against the group, and send a deterrent signal to its other Iran-backed adversaries, like Hezbollah. The operation achieved Israel’s limited objectives and neutralized PIJ’s top leadership and assets in Gaza, while preventing Hamas involvement and Israeli deaths and ended with a ceasefire on the night of August 7.

During the three days of fighting, PIJ launched as many rockets a day as Palestinian militants did during the May 2021 conflict—a significantly higher fire rate than in pre-2021 conflicts—including numerous misfires that caused Gazan civilian casualties. Israel’s Iron Dome short-range air defense system demonstrated a higher interception rate than in previous conflicts due to significant technological improvements, neutralizing 96% of dangerous incoming projectiles. The IDF also engaged in an improved, but not perfect, information campaign, disseminating information faster than in previous conflicts.