Israel Attacked by Rockets, Paragliders, Drones, Attackers on Motorbikes

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said: “We are at war, not an operation, not rounds, but at war”, addressing the attack by Hamas militants on the country (Sky News).
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Palestinian militant groups, predominantly Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad alongside other groups such as the socialist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, on October 7, 2023, launched a major surprise attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip, resulting in an Israelis counter-attack, and Israel declaring a state of emergency and a state of war.

Hamas announced around 06:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, October 7, 2023, the beginning of “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood”, stating that anti-Israeli forces had fired over 5,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel within a span of 20 minutes.

Reports from Israel on Saturday morning October 7 include that anti-Israeli forces …

launched more than 5,000 rockets into Israel from Gaza,

used motorbikes, trucks, pickup trucks and paragliders for incursion into Israel,

attacked multiple cities (Tel Aviv, Ashkelon, Yavne, and Kfar Aviv),

dropped bombs from drones,

used a bulldozer to break down a fence at the southern border of Israel,

killed about 100 Israelis,

injured about 1,000 Israelis,

and captured occupation Israeli soldiers,

took hostages — including Israeli military members and civilians,

and took control of at least seven communities near the southern border of Israel.

The Israel Defense Force (IDF) replied with force, describing that the IDF is initiating a large-scale operation (“Operation Swords of Iron”) to defend Israeli civilians against the combined attack launched against Israel by Hamas Saturday morning, October 7, 2023.

IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari announced that Israel is at war, after the deadly mass Hamas infiltration of Israel on October 7, 2023.

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu called on citizens of Israel to strictly obey the instructions of the army and the home command, and residents were advised by the IDF to stay in their homes. Netanyahu said this is not just an “operation”, this is a war.

The IDF described that dozens of IDF fighter jets struck 17 military compounds and 4 operational command centers belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip.

The surprise attack has been declared as ‘a colossal failure’ by David Horovitz, the founding editor of The Times of Israel.

The commander of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Mohammed Deif, said that the attack, known as Operation “Al-Aqsa Flood” was in response to “desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” and called on Palestinans and Arab Israelis to “expel the occupiers and demolish the walls”

See also …

PM: Israel at war; 22 killed; Hamas claims it has taken hostages to Gaza in huge attack | The Times of Israel

Hamas commander says attacks are in defense of Al-Aqsa, claims 5,000 missiles fired | The Times of Israel

Residents near Gaza Strip beg for IDF help as they fight off terrorists | The Times of Israel

‘A colossal failure’ as Gaza’s Hamas terrorists infiltrate, catch Israel unprepared | The Times of Israel

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