The Israeli army is continuing to scale back its troop presence in the Gaza Strip in order to reinforce Israel’s northern and eastern borders, amid concerns over possible infiltration attempts by militias from Jordan and Syria, as well as the potential entry of Hezbollah into the fighting, Israeli defense officials have told Haaretz.

According to the officials, the decision to redeploy forces stems from concern that Iran’s regional proxies may assist it in the conflict. The immediate goal, they said, is to thwart any attempts at raids on Israeli communities or military infrastructure near the border fence.

The IDF said on Saturday that Iran has become Israel’s primary warfront, with Gaza now secondary. On Sunday, the military added that Iran’s difficulty in recovering from the surprise opening airstrike by the Israeli Air Force has led it to call for help from the armed militias it has cultivated over the years in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq.

Israel’s defense establishment is closely monitoring developments involving these militias. So far, Hezbollah has limited itself to public expressions of support for the Islamic Republic, and Israeli intelligence has not yet detected any operational activity indicating the group is preparing to join the war.

By contrast, militias in Iraq, Syria and Yemen are a growing source of concern. The IDF is preparing for possible infiltration attempts into Israeli territory or attacks on military forces and border communities.

The IDF confirmed on Sunday that overnight it had attempted to assassinate the Houthi military chief, Muhammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency claimed al-Ghamari survived the strike. However, the IDF said it is still awaiting confirmation of the operation’s outcome.

The Houthis have vowed to respond to the assassination attempt and called on other militias to prepare for what they referred to as a “march” to Israel.

In light of these developments, the IDF has reinforced troops in communities along the borders with Jordan and Syria to prevent infiltration attempts. To facilitate this, troop numbers in Gaza are being reduced. Within days, fewer than half the number of soldiers stationed in Gaza prior to the opening of hostilities with Iran are expected to remain.