General Assessment:
The massive attacks from the air by IDF aircraft and fighter jets against Hamas military targets continue at an intensified pace in frequency and force. Among the targets attacked are Hamas headquarters and infrastructure, launch squads, observation and sniping positions, subterranean infrastructure, and other targets were among those struck. The IDF announced that the preparations of the forces for the ground maneuver have been completed, and it is awaiting the order from the political echelon.
Yesterday an Israeli soldier was killed by an anti-tank missile hit in Gaza near the border, and three others were injured. The army said that the missile hit a tank and an engineering vehicle, while soldiers were operating in the Gaza Strip to locate bodies and information of Israeli MIAs. The IDF said that a tank attacked the squad that fired at the forces. Hamas accepted responsibility for the attack.
In the past 24 hours, Hezbollah has been intensifying its attack on the northern front against Israeli soldiers, civilians, and infrastructures. ATGM and mortar attacks are becoming commonplace, while the IDF has thwarted as many as 20 Hezbollah terrorist squads on or near the border fence. Since the October 7 Hamas attack, Hezbollah has launched dozens of anti-tank guided missiles, rockets, and mortars against Israeli military positions and communities.
The IDF continues to urge residents of the Gaza Strip’s north to flee to the south. According to Israeli estimates, approximately 700,000 inhabitants have been evacuated thus far. Hamas opposes the evacuation and urges residents not to comply, particularly by not evacuating nearby UNRA hospitals and schools. Salama Maruf, the chief of the government information office, even urged northern residents who had fled south of the Gaza Strip to come home and not believe “Israel’s lies.” Hamas terrorists attempt to impede the populations’ evacuation through persuasion or force, to exploit these civilians as “human shields.”
Rafah crossing on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip remains open for the flow of humanitarian aid, 14 trucks passed through the crossing today carrying, medicine, medical equipment, and food to Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has consented to US President Biden’s request to continue this aid.
– So far, according to the IDF since Saturday morning Oct. 7, 1,400 Israelis were killed, among them 308 fallen soldiers. 3,900 Israelis have been wounded. 222 Confirmed abducted, and many more missing. Since the beginning of hostilities, nearly 7,000 rockets have been launched into Israel.
Operational Updates:
Northern Arena:
In recent days, the intensity of events on the Lebanese border has increased in a variety of regions along the border. Hezbollah is focusing on anti-tank launching attempts against the backdrop of the continuous evacuation of 60,000 civilians along the 0–5-kilometer line.
The IDF responded to the events promptly, launching response and preventive attacks against those units.
The IDF announced today that since the start of the war in the northern arena, there have been 2 infiltration attempts, 200+ rockets & mortar launches, and 30+ ATGM attacks.
Today at 16:00 there was a thwarting of a UAV infiltration in the vicinity of the city of Acre, where sirens were activated for the first time since the outbreak of the war.
Earlier today, it was stated that 27 Hezbollah operatives had been killed since the commencement of the war, a figure that is expected to rise in the coming days due to increased anti-tank fire attempts.
Gaza and Southern Israel:
– Throughout the past 24 hours the IDF has continued to strike terror infrastructure and military targets in Gaza. According to ISA and IDF intelligence, terror targets included tunnels hiding Hamas terrorists, and dozens of operational command centers, some of which concealed Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants, military installations, and observation posts.
The IDF targeted sites that posed a threat to soldiers preparing for the ground operations in Gaza, such as dozens of mortar shells and anti-tank missile launch platforms.
Overnight, an IDF tank destroyed a number of terrorist networks, including an anti-tank missile cell.
-Since the beginning of the war, the IDF has identified about 550 failed Hamas rocket launches that fell inside the Gaza Strip. The Hamas terrorist organization uses the residents of the Gaza Strip as human shields and launches rockets from civilian infrastructure, areas, and buildings in the Gaza Strip. A senior Israeli official denied the US is seeking a delay of its ground incursion into Gaza.
International Arena:
– In a draft resolution submitted to the UN Security Council, the United States is driving to support Israel’s right to defend itself and demands that Iran stop transferring weapons to “militias and terrorist organizations that endanger regional peace and security.”
– According to reports in foreign news agencies, the Biden administration is requesting Israel to postpone the imminent invasion of Gaza to allow more hostages held by Hamas to be released and for aid to reach Gaza, as well as allow the US to enhance its military buildup in the Middle East. Israel refutes these reports.
– Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis landed in Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and French President Emmanuel Macron are also due to land today in Israel and meet with Netanyahu.
– US troops at the Al Tanf base came under attack this morning (Oct 23) by two drones which were shot down before making impact inside the base. This is the second attack on Al Tanf in 3 days.
