The IDF entered the Gaza Strip and is operating on the ground with support from troops in the air and at sea, Israel's political and military leadership said Saturday night.
"Last night, additional ground forces entered Gaza, marking the beginning of the second stage of the war, whose goal is to destroy the military and political capabilities of Hamas and to bring our kidnapped citizens back," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an evening briefing.
"We are only at the beginning of the road. The war will be tough and long," the prime minister said. But he stressed, "We are prepared for it. This is our second War of Independence. This is our mission, our purpose in life, and together we will prevail."
Netanyahu said that not only do "the people and the leadership stand behind our soldiers," but also the international community is rooting for Israel.
"Our partners understand that if Israel doesn't win, they will be next," he said. "Many around the world understand well that Israel is not only fighting its war but a war for all of humanity, a war of humanity against barbarism."
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi had said earlier in the evening that the army's "best soldiers, well-trained and prepared, are operating in Gaza."
The ground operation began Friday evening and progressed throughout Shabbat, with plans for further escalation in the coming days as the number of known hostages rose to 229.
"Achievements demand risks, and, as we know, victory comes at a price," Halevi said. "To expose and destroy the enemy, there is no other way than to enter its territory with force… We will remember to fight with determination, and we will win."
National Unity Party Chairman Benny Gantz said that he believed the ground operation, alongside other efforts, could also advance the return of the captives.
IDF Spokesman R.-Adm. Daniel Hagari announced the ground invasion in two briefings over the weekend.
The IDF had been threatening a full ground invasion for more than two weeks, but due to a combination of reasons - some known and some unknown - a full incursion had yet to occur. On Thursday, the IDF sent troops inside Gaza to strike Hamas targets - both on the ground and via the sea. However, those troops entered and exited the strip on the same evening.
Senior Hamas terrorists eliminated
Overnight Friday, Israel also took out several senior Hamas terrorists who played strategic roles in the planning of the October 7 Hamas massacre that killed more than 1,400 Israelis.
Specifically, the IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Service) have eliminated the head of the Hamas aerial array, Atsam Abu Raffa, they said Saturday morning. He was responsible for managing Hamas's anti-tank missile systems, drones, aerial surveillance, paragliders, and the organization's air defense, the army said. As part of his role, he was involved in planning and executing the October 7 massacre, during which Hamas paragliders entered Israeli communities and launched drone attacks.
In addition, they assassinated Ratib Abu Tzahiba, commander of Hamas' naval forces of the Gaza City Brigade. He was responsible for the recent attempt to infiltrate the maritime space near Zikim, the IDF said in a statement Saturday morning.
Furthermore, Shayetet 13 commandos overnight Friday carried out a targeted raid from the sea in the southern Gaza Strip, destroying Hamas terrorist infrastructure used by the organization's naval commando force, the IDF said Friday afternoon.
Overnight Thursday, the IDF assassinated the commander of Hamas's West Khan Yunis battalion, Madhat Mubasher, the army said.
In addition, just this last week, the IDF said it killed the deputy head of Hamas's Intelligence Directorate, who was responsible for planning the October 7 massacre together with Yahya Sinwar; the commander of Hamas's Northern Khan Yunis rockets array, Hassan Al-Abdullah; the commander of the North Khan Yunis Battalion of the Hamas terrorist organization, Taysir Mubasher; the deputy commander of the Nuseirat Battalion, who took part in the Kibbutz Be'eri massacre; the deputy commanders of the Shati and Sheikh Radwan battalions; and the head of the anti-tank missiles array of Hamas's Northern Brigade, Ibrahim Alkhaser - as well as the commander of the Hamas aerial array in Gaza City, the head of Hamas training portfolio in Gaza City, the aerial defense officer of Hamas' Zabra Tel Elhua Battalion, a Hamas weapons supply manager in Gaza City, the head of training for the Hamas aerial defense array in northern Gaza, and the deputy head of Hamas's artillery array in the Gaza Strip.
Hagari said that their assassinations represented significant progress toward Israel achieving its goal of dismantling Hamas and would make it easier for the ground troops to do their job.
"Eliminating them facilitates the war's progress and enables the forces on the ground to fight against a weaker enemy," he said.
"Last night, the ground shook," Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Saturday night. "We struck above ground and underground. The instructions to the forces are clear: The action will continue until a new order is given."
He added that this is a war that will determine the next 75 years for Israel.
"All of us – the prime minister, the defense minister, the Security Cabinet, the extended cabinet, and the entire command chain – understand the enormity of the hour and the immense responsibility placed upon our shoulders," Gantz concluded. "We also feel the pain and expectations of Israeli citizens."
Over the weekend, IDF warplanes attacked about 150 underground targets in the northern Gaza Strip.
Hagari said 311 soldiers have been identified as dead since the Hamas massacre on October 7. In addition, 58 Israeli police were killed in the October 7 attack and the operation since.
Seth Frantzman contributed to this report.