The clock has officially run out. On Thursday, April 9, 2026, Israel moved into a high-stakes "war footing" as a critical 60-day deadline for Hamas to disarm expired at midnight.
According to reports from Israel Hayom, the IDF is now preparing a massive renewed offensive to "complete the mission" in Gaza, potentially ending the fragile ceasefire that has held the region in a tense grip since earlier this year.
This deadline was part of a bold Trump administration peace plan initiated in February 2026. Israel's Cabinet Secretary, Yossi Fuchs, had previously warned that if Hamas did not surrender every weapon including rifles and their vast tunnel network by this date, the military would resume full-scale operations.
Hamas has flatly rejected the ultimatum, setting the stage for an explosive confrontation.
The situation is complicated by a widening regional firestorm.
Even as troops mass near Gaza, Israel launched Operation Eternal Darkness in Lebanon this week. On April 8, 2026, the IAF carried out its most powerful strikes of the war, hitting over 100 targets in Beirut and southern Lebanon.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that Lebanon is not covered by the recent U.S.-Iran ceasefire, despite claims from international mediators.
Adding fuel to the fire, intelligence briefings suggest a "new Iranian regime" has emerged following the elimination of top leaders during the recent "Epic Fury" campaign.
This new leadership is reportedly even more extreme and heavily reliant on the Revolutionary Guard, leading many to fear that 2026 is rapidly becoming the year of the "total regional war."