This evening, an IDF spokesperson announced the falling of 2 IDF soldiers from the Givati Brigade in Gaza.
General:
In the north, Hezbollah is continuing its aggression against Israel. In response to rocket and mortar fire from Lebanon today, IDF forces struck Hezbollah military targets in Lebanon. During the strikes, Hezbollah’s terror infrastructure was targeted, including a military compound and observation posts.
In the Gaza Strip, throughout the night, the IDF expanded its ground operations. During clashes with terrorists in Gaza, IDF soldiers killed scores of terrorists who barricaded themselves inside structures and attempted to attack the army. As IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari stated: “We will strike in response to any attempted attack, and we will eliminate any terrorist cell that tries to infiltrate or shoot toward Israeli territory.”
The Goals of the War as presented by the IDF:
- Destroying Hamas’ apparatus – No more Hamas rule over the Gaza Strip.
- Annihilating Hamas and PIJ’s military and administrative capabilities.
- Distancing and removing all threats from the Gaza Strip.
- Deterring the enemy from escalating the northern arena: Maintaining stability in Judea & Samaria and throughout Israel.
- Bringing home, the hostages held in Gaza.
– So far, according to the IDF since Saturday morning Oct. 7, 1,400 Israelis were murdered, among them 315 fallen soldiers. 5,350 Israelis wounded. 238 confirmed abducted civilians and IDF soldiers (40 of them foreign nationals working in Israel), and very many missing persons. Since the beginning of hostilities, 8,500 rockets have been launched into Israel.
Operational Updates:
Northern Arena:
-The northern sector continues to heat up. Last night IDF forces shelled Hezbollah positions in retaliation to Hezbollah’s provocations yesterday.
Today, a number of anti-tank missiles were launched at the IDF positions along the Lebanese border. At 13:00 an alarm was sounded in Metula due to failed launches from Lebanon.
At 14:30 it was reported that the IDF attacked a Hezbollah squad that was trying to launch an anti-tank missile at Israel. It was also reported that the IDF responded with artillery fire at sources of fire that launched two anti-tank missiles at the IDF outposts.
At 15:30 it was reported that terrorists were firing at an IDF outpost on the Lebanese border, and mortar shells were identified landing in an open area near Tel Hai. The IDF responded with an attack on Hezbollah infrastructure and fired at the launch sources.
At 16:00 the IDF announced that rocket launchers had been detected towards the Arab al-Aramshe area near the border with Lebanon.
-Since yesterday, the total count of Hezbollah terrorists killed since the beginning of hostilities stands at around 49.
Lebanon:
Today’s statement by IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari: Over the past few weeks, thousands of Lebanese civilians have and continue to evacuate southern Lebanon, on their own initiative, out of fear that Hezbollah will bring war upon them. Funerals are being held in Shiite villages in southern Lebanon for Shiites who were sent by Nasrallah to ‘defend’ Hamas-ISIS in Gaza.
Many voices are heard and seen in Lebanon, both spoken and written, asking why Nasrallah is endangering Lebanon. Why did Hezbollah fight ISIS in Syria and elsewhere, but is now bringing ISIS into Lebanon?
– The representative of Hamas in Lebanon, Ahmed Abdel-Hadi: “There is full coordination between Hamas and Hezbollah in the operations taking place. We, as Palestinians in Lebanon, learned lessons from the past and made a decision to remain positively neutral, not to interfere in Lebanon’s affairs and respect its sovereignty.”
Iran: According to several reports, originating from Lebanon, the commander of the IRGC, General Ismail Kaani, is constantly in Lebanon, “advising” Nasrallah. It turns out that Kaani arrived in Beirut, on Saturday, right after Hamas’ atrocious attack on Israel, stayed there continuously until October 16, returned to Tehran to receive further instructions, returned on October 20 to Lebanon, and has been staying there ever since.
Egypt:
According to Egyptian media, Egypt is building a field hospital near its border with the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas terrorists.
Gaza and Southern Israel:
Commander of the Southern Command, Major General Yaron Finkelman to the ground forces operating in the Gaza Strip over the operational comms:
“Southern Command forces this is the Commander” – “We are striking Hamas and the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip. We have one goal – victory. No matter how long or how hard the fighting will be, there is no other outcome than victory. We will fight with professionalism and strength, based first and foremost on the IDF values that were instilled in us – Dedication to the Mission and the Pursuit of Victory. We will fight in alleys, we will fight in tunnels, we will fight wherever necessary. We will eliminate the abominable enemy before whom we stand. My brothers in arms, the residents of Be’eri, Sderot, Nir Oz, Kfar Aza, and the West Negev Communities, and alongside them are all the people of Israel, they are all looking at us now. Like me, they trust you and believe in you, you are the generation of victory. This is the Commander, complete your mission, strike the enemy, over and out.”
-Last night, the IAF directed by the IDF Intelligence Directorate and the ISA, provided with precise intelligence, killed Naseem Abu Ajina, the commander of the Beit Lahia battalion in the northern division of Hamas. Abu Ajina was responsible for orchestrating the terrorist assaults launched by Hamas against Kibbutz Erez and Moshav Netiv HaAsara on October 7. He oversaw the Hamas aviation force and contributed to the development of the paraglider, UAV, and drone capabilities of the terrorist organization. The elimination of Ajina has delivered a significant setback to Hamas’ capacity to disrupt IDF operations on the ground.
-Combined forces of the IDF, led by ground forces, are waging fierce battles deep in the territory of the Gaza Strip. IDF forces attacked a Hamas terrorist outpost in the north of the Gaza Strip. IDF forces fought several battles with terrorist squads who shot at them. The forces eliminated the terrorists and directed the IAF to destroy terrorist targets and infrastructure. Combined forces of the IDF, under the direction of the ISA and IDF Intelligence Directorate, attacked about 300 targets during the last day.
– This morning and at noon sirens sounded in the area of Eilat, southern Israel. A surface-to-surface missile was fired toward Israeli territory from the area of the Red Sea and was successfully intercepted by the “Arrow” Aerial Defense System.
IAF detection systems tracked the trajectory of the missile, which was successfully intercepted by the “Arrow” Aerial Defense System at the optimal operational moment and location. Furthermore, IAF fighter jets were scrambled and intercepted aerial threats identified in the area of the Red Sea. All aerial threats were intercepted outside of Israeli territory. No infiltrations were identified into Israeli territory. The Houthis in Yemen acknowledged their responsibility.
– The IDF continues to urge Gaza City inhabitants to move to a safe humanitarian zone in the Gaza Strip’s southwest, in the Al-Mawasi area, where international aid is supplied via the Rafah crossing. Hamas terrorists are attempting to impede their evacuation through persuasion or force, to exploit these civilians as “human shields.”
Hamas has continued to demonstrate its capabilities to launch missiles into Israel in recent days. Today, rockets were launched toward the South, Negev, and Center, and missiles expected to hit populated areas were intercepted by Israeli air defenses. Three civilians were injured slightly while one was seriously wounded. Since the commencement of the war, the IDF has identified 10% of all missiles launched from within the Gaza Strip as having misfired, killing, wounding, or damaging Gaza residents. 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.
Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip remains open for the flow of humanitarian aid carrying, medicine, medical equipment, and food, due to US pressure, Israel increased humanitarian aid, and according to UN statements, another 60 trucks crossed into Gaza. The IDF emphasizes that all equipment is checked before entering the Strip. American Secretary of State Blinken stated that the US will try to deliver 100 trucks of humanitarian aid into Gaza through the Rafah crossing – every day during the week.
Judea and Samaria:
– During the night, the IDF and the ISA arrested 38 wanted persons and confiscated weapons in Judea and Samaria. As part of the operation, the security forces destroyed the house of Salah Arouri, the deputy head of the political bureau and responsible for the activities of the terrorist organization Hamas in Judea and Samaria. In addition, the commander of the Central Command, Yehuda Fox, ordered an intensification of punishment regarding the offenses of inciting terrorism and supporting terrorist organizations such as Hamas, ISIS, or Islamic Jihad.
