The Israel Defense Forces reported strikes on roughly 300 Hamas targets across the Gaza Strip. The Ministry also shared details via its telegram channel, outlining that the attacks hit key operational headquarters, subterranean combat tunnels, warehouses storing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), IED production facilities, and launch sites used for anti-tank systems.
The crisis in the Middle East intensified after thousands of Hamas fighters crossed from Gaza into Israel on October 7, with Hamas declaring the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel was at war.
Israel’s objective in responding to Operation Iron Sword was to repel the assault, secure the release of more than 200 hostages, including foreigners, and dismantle Hamas’s capabilities. To pursue these aims, Israel conducted major rocket offensives against Gaza from day one of the operation. Concurrently, the Israeli National Security Council ordered a cessation of water, food, essential goods, electricity, and fuel supplies to the territory. Humanitarian aid convoys to Gaza began through the Rafah crossing around October 20, but officials noted that aid volumes remained insufficient for the population in need.
By October 27, Israel announced an expansion of its ground operation in Gaza. The exact start of this phase remains unclear, but prior to the escalation, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians evacuated their homes, seeking shelter in safer areas and the southern portions of the region. By November 5, as ground forces surrounded Gaza City and cut off essential supplies, fighting continued in central Gaza where pockets of resistance persisted.
Earlier reports indicated that Yemeni Houthi forces had launched ballistic missiles toward Israel, signaling regional spillover concerns and the broader security implications of the conflict.