Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the response to the attack on the country "will change the Middle East." He stated this on October 9, "Reuters" cites.
Also, the Israel Defense Forces says it is carrying out "wide-scale" airstrikes against a large number of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip. In addition, Israel reported that it had detected a group of suspicious people entering the country from Lebanon. Later, the IDF announced that it had killed "a number of militants" who had crossed into Israel from Lebanon. Fighters continue to scan the area.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reports at least 560 dead and 2 900 wounded. In Israel, the number of dead has increased to 800 people, and more than 2 500 have been injured.
A member of the Palestinian Civil Defense runs with a child rescued from the rubble. Gaza City, October 9, 2023.
Getty Images / «Babel'»
What is happening in Israel now?
On the morning of October 7, the Palestinian movement Hamas attacked Israel, announcing the start of the military operation "Al-Aqsa Flood". Israel responded by announcing the launch of a counter-terrorist operation in the Gaza Strip called Iron Swords, and on October 8, Israel officially declared war. Israel sees the goal of control over the entire Gaza Strip.
As of the morning of October 9, Israeli troops regained control over all cities on the border with the Gaza Strip. Currently, the troops are clearing the cities, as militants may still be hiding there. In the last 48 hours, the Israeli army mobilized 300 000 reservists. Apparently, the army is preparing for a major ground operation. Airstrikes on the Gaza Strip continue.
On the Israeli side, more than 800 people were killed, 2 500 were wounded, and on the Palestinian side, 560 were killed, and about 2 300 were injured. Among the dead in Israel are two Ukrainian women, as well as Ukrainian diplomats who rescued a wounded Ukrainian boy from the south of Israel, the city of Sderot.