Israel announces complete blockade of Gaza Strip, strikes at Lebanon

This is reported by The Times of Israel.

The report says that Israeli aircraft continue to strike the Gaza Strip in order to destroy the capabilities of the Hamas terrorist group.

Among the targets struck in recent hours were several command posts, houses of commanders, militants and ordinary soldiers.

The Israeli Armed Forces confirmed that the IDF had struck a building in which Hamas terrorists were staying.

"In parallel, several Hamas operational command centers were attacked, including a three-story command center and a command center belonging to Mahmad Kashti, a senior naval operative of the Hamas terrorist organization," the statement says. 

The IDF also struck a Hamas operational base located in a mosque in the city of Jabalia, attacking an intelligence agent and an additional agent used to direct Hamas terror infrastructure.

In particular, Israeli Defense Forces officer Yigal Levin announced the elimination of one of the militants' commanders, Rifat Abu-Hilal, aka Abu al-Abad. 

"Gaza residents say that the Israeli army no longer follows the warning protocol of 'Akesh ba gag' (knock on the roof), but immediately destroys houses one by one," he added.

Later, the Israeli Armed Forces reported strikes on more than 500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip.

The IDF also struck numerous high-rise buildings, one of which, the residence of Ruhi Mashtaa, Hamas secretary and member of the organization's decision-making group, housed Hamas's terror command center, from which he helped direct the invasion of Israel.

In addition, three terrorist tunnels in the Beit Hanoun area were struck.

Two Hamas operational facilities were hit by an airstrike, one of them in a mosque. An Islamic Jihad facility located in a building where terrorists operate and live was also struck.

Meanwhile, the Israeli media outlet Ynet news, citing the Israeli army press service, reported that about 80 terrorists were found in Israel during the night.

"While fighting continued in six locations along the Gaza border, at least 800 Hamas targets were attacked by the military," the publication notes.

Later, the Israeli Armed Forces claimed to have hit a weapons depot.

"This morning, IDF fighter jets struck a weapons depot and an entry point to an underground terrorist tunnel in the Gaza Strip used by high-ranking operatives of the Hamas terrorist organization," the statement says. 

In addition, within the last hour, an IDF aircraft struck a Hamas vehicle that approached the security fence in the Gaza Strip, heading towards Israeli territory.

The Israeli media outlet Ynet news reported that Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant has ordered the military to put the Gaza Strip under a complete blockade.

"There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel," he said. "We are fighting non-humans and we are acting accordingly," the defense minister said.

Later, the Israeli Defense Forces reported on its official X (formerly Twitter) profile that dozens of Israeli fighter jets attacked several targets in the al-Furqan area, which is a Hamas terrorist nest and where many actions against Israel are carried out. At 4:55 p.m. Kyiv time, the IDF reported that Israeli attack helicopters were attacking Lebanon.

"Over the past day, IDF aircraft have carried out large-scale strikes across the length and breadth of the Gaza Strip, wreaking havoc among Hamas terrorists. Over the past three hours, dozens of aircraft have attacked some 130 targets. The focus of the attack: Beit Hanon, Sajaya, al-Furqan and Rimal," the IDF said.

Events in Israel: latest updates

On the morning of Saturday, October 7, 2023, the Palestinian armed groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad launched a massive air and land attack on the state of Israel in several places. The head of the Hamas military wing, Mohammed Deif, said that his militants had launched the Al-Aqsa Flood operation. According to him, these actions are intended to protect the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

The Palestinians launched 2,000 to 3,000 missiles at Israel and simultaneously seized 7 communities in the south.

In response, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced the mobilization of reservists and the launch of the Iron Swords counterterrorism operation. For the first time in 50 years, the government introduced martial law in the country. 

The IDF actively used aviation to strike Palestinian command posts. It has also begun clearing Hamas-occupied communities.

In addition, there is a great threat that the Shiite Hezbollah could attack Israel from the north, as its main partner and supplier, the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI), has called on jihadists to "liberate Jerusalem."

On the morning of October 8, the Saudi television channel Al Arabiya published the losses of both Palestinians and Israelis during the first day of the renewed military conflict. According to the channel, Israel lost 300 people killed and at least 1,600 wounded. The number of casualties from the Palestinian-populated Gaza Strip is 232 killed and 1,627 wounded. 

On October 8, Israeli troops claimed that Lebanon had attacked their territory, so the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) attacked in response. In particular, Israeli aviation struck a complex belonging to the head of Hamas' intelligence.

Militants of the Lebanese military-political organization Hezbollah fired at Israeli positions on the border with the disputed Golan Heights and supported Hamas in its operation against Israel.

Due to the situation in the Middle East, the UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting. However, no action or decisions were taken after it. At the same time, the UK government stated that it would support Israel in its fight against terrorists and was ready to provide it with all necessary assistance.

On the afternoon of October 9, the Israeli army regained control of all areas on the border with the Gaza Strip. At this, it is possible that there are still Hamas militants on Israeli territory.

At night and during the day on the same day, the Israeli armed forces attacked the Gaza Strip. The main targets were command posts, homes of commanders, militants and ordinary soldiers of the Hamas terrorist organization. The Israeli Ministry of Defense ordered the military to put the Gaza Strip under blockade.

A number of countries have condemned the terrorist attack by Hamas militants and expressed support for Israel in its defense against aggression. Among them are the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Germany, Ukraine, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Hungary, Norway, Cyprus, India, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Argentina, Australia, and the European Union.