Click to see full-size image. Via X.
On October 7 morning, Palestinian armed factions in the Gaza Strip, led by the Hamas Movement, launched massive rocket barrages at southern and central Israel, combined with a large-scale by dozens of fighters who infiltrated a number of nearby military positions and settlements, clashing with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and police.
The attack, codenamed “Al-Qasa Flood,” came a day after Israel and the Arab world marked the 50th anniversary of the surprise attack by Egypt and Syria that launched the Yom Kippur War.
Several direct hits on buildings and vehicles were reported in Ashkelon, the Gederot region and Tel Aviv following the initial rocket barrage.
Israel’s Magen David Adom ambulance service said one person has been killed and another 15 were wounded in initial rocket attacks on southern and central Israel.
Later, video footage showed Palestinians fighters driving trucks and opening fire in a number of settlements in southern Israel.
The Israeli media said that the fighters infiltrated from land, sea and air. A video purported to show a hand glider near the Gaza border surfaced online, confirming this assessment.
A high number of casualties have been reported as a result of the raid. Several Israeli soldiers and civilians were also reported to have been captured. Unverified videos from the Gaza Strip purported to show Hamas fighters with two IDF soldiers who were taken from Israel during the attack.
Another video from the separation line around Gaza showed a Merkava Mark IV main battle tank of the IDF burning after being destroyed by Palestinian fighters. Two other videos showed fighters with a captured Israeli military vehicle.
Hamas’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, also released footage showing its fighters during a raid on an IDF position near Gaza. The abandoned tanks and armored vehicles as well as the dead bodies of several Israeli soldiers can be seen in the footage.
In its initial response, the IDF launched several strikes against Gaza. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was reportedly rushed to Tel Aviv to consult with security chiefs. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was also to take part.
Gallant also declared an emergency situation within a range of 80 kilometers from the Gaza Strip. The “special situation” allows the military’s Home Front Command to restrict gatherings and close off areas. The area includes the major cities Tel Aviv and Beersheba.
Meanwhile, the IDF said it was moving to a “state of war readiness” and Gallant authorized a widespread call-up of reserves.
In a statement, the IDF says Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi was holding an assessment and approving plans of action.
“Hamas… which is behind this attack, will bear the results and responsibility for the events,” the IDF said. “Hamas carried out a combined operation that included firing rockets and a terrorist infiltration into the territory of the State of Israel.”
The IDF will certainly launch a large-scale operation against Gaza factions. The operation will most likely include a ground offensive, considering the heavy Israeli losses as a result of Operation Al-Qasa Flood. This round of fighting will not end quickly.
Hamas and its allies, who launched the operation in response to a harsh Israeli crackdown on Palestinians, have already voiced their readiness for an “open war”.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC:
