Israel declares state of war for first time since 1973

The Times of Israel reported the information.

The Security Cabinet voted to officially put the country under martial law so that it could carry out "significant military activities."

The outlet explains that such a decision of the Security Cabinet gives legal status in accordance with the Basic Law of Israel - according to Article 40, the country cannot go to war without a government decision.

"The war imposed on the State of Israel due to a deadly terrorist attack from the Gaza Strip, began on October 7, 2023, at 06:00 am," the government said in a statement.

The last time Israel declared a state of war was on October 6, 1973, when the conflict between Egypt, Syria and Israel was called the Yom Kippur War and lasted 18 days. The war began with a surprise attack by Arab countries on the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights.

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.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has declared a state of war. 

The Pentagon has characterized Palestine's actions in Israel as acts of violence and terrorism. They have also pledged to provide Israel with the necessary support to ensure its self-defense.