Operation Swords of Iron: What happened on days 6-7?

Israel will destroy Hamas, no matter how long it takes, and will finish the war stronger, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an unusual address on Friday night.

"This is just the beginning," he said. "Our enemies have only begun paying the price and I will not say more. This is just the beginning."

Lapid: Netanyahu sent Israel into a frenzy for nothing

Opposition head Yair Lapid attacked Netanyahu for not giving any new information while inducing anxiety among Israelis for an unusual address during Shabbat. 

"How can Israel's prime minister send an entire nation into a frenzy for an unusual Friday night statement only to then say nothing on the hostages, the North, the evacuations," Lapid charged.

"A prime minister should not make these statements unless he has new information."

לא ייתכן שראש ממשלת ישראל יכניס מדינה שלמה לסחרור חרדה בהמתנה להצהרתו בשישי בלילה בזמן של חירום ואז לא יגיד דבר חדש לא על משפחות החטופים, לא על חזית הצפון, לא על המפונים. הצהרות כאלה לא עושה ראש ממשלה אלא אם כן יש לו מידע חדש להביא לעמו ולארצו.

— יאיר לפיד - Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) October 13, 2023

During his short address, Netanyahu also stressed that Israel, through talks with US Secretary of State Lloyd Austin, is "ensuring the continuation of fighting" with American supply on its way to Israel.

An alarm drill will be sounded at the Ramat David Airbase on Saturday at 11 a.m. for the purpose of checking sounds of the horns at the base. 

IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus gave an update on Saturday on the Israeli military's current activities in the Gaza Strip and on the Israel-Lebanon border on X, formerly known as Twitter, to English-speaking users on the site.

Conricus stresses that residents of northern Gaza should move to the southern part of the region to not be caught in the crossfire.

"We do this, we advertised this in advance not because it has any military logic, it doesn't. Because we don't want civilians to be affected by the war.

Listen in as an IDF Spokesperson @jconricus provides a situational update as the war against Hamas continues. https://t.co/UeIUKgRJGu

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 14, 2023

"We didn't put those civilians there. They are not our enemy. We are not trying to kill or injure any civilians. We are fighting against Hamas. That needs to be abundantly clear. We are targeting their infrastructure - wherever it is."

Conricus also stated that IDF reservists are preparing for the next stage of operations around the Gaza Strip to fire on Hamas targets.

"We didn't put those civilians there. They are not our enemy. We are not trying to kill or injure any civilians. We are fighting against Hamas. That needs to be abundantly clear. We are targeting their infrastructure - wherever it is."

Jonathan Conricus

Despite Hamas's attempts to prevent their evacuation, the IDF has identified a trend of residents evacuating to the south. Several hundred thousand civilians have already moved southward.

Conricus states that the IDF will inform Gaza residents when it is safe to return to the northern area of the Strip.

The IDF also stated that terrorists of the Hamas terrorist organization are hiding in tunnels under houses in Gaza City, and inside buildings with many innocent civilians.

On Friday night, IAF fighter jets conducted wide-scale strikes throughout Gaza - which included firing on dozens of Hamas targets and “Nukhba” terrorist operatives.

“Nukhba terrorist operatives were one of the leading forces that led the infiltration into Israel last Saturday," the Israeli Air Force posted on X.

Last night, IAF fighter jets conducted wide-scale strikes throughout the Gaza Strip. These included dozens of Hamas terror targets as well as “Nukhba” terrorist operatives that were in a staging ground in the Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/fmI7ilhya6

— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 14, 2023

IDF personnel also eliminated Merad Abu Merad, the head of the Hamas Aerial System in Gaza City on Friday, Hebrew media reported. Merad "was largely responsible for directing terrorists during the massacre on Saturday," the IAF stated.

War in Israel's north

Conricus also acknowledged the incidents that occurred at the western sector of Israel's northern border, where he confirmed that Hezbollah fighters fired an anti-tank missile at Israeli troops. While the battle was short, the situation calmed down.

Shortly after, Hezbollah sent drones into Israel and fired surface-to-air missiles at an Israeli aircraft, which the IDF quickly intercepted.

Smoke is seen behind Ashkelon near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, October 13, 2023 (credit: REUTERS/AMIR COHEN)

Conricus stresses that as of Saturday morning, the situation at Israel's northern border remains extremely tense and Hezbollah's activities are being monitored.

Shortly after Conricus's military update, IDF foiled a cell of Palestinian terrorists that operated under Hezbollah's direction and tried to infiltrate into Israel via Lebanon, a military spokesperson said.

An IDF remotely piloted aircraft attacked the squad and eliminated three terrorists from the cell.

High-level visits

Conricus also thanks the numerous visits to Israel from high-level officials overseas. Including EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, German Foreign Affairs Minister Annalena Baerbock, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

"European and American leaders are sending a clear message that they stand by Israel, that they understand that this act of atrocity against Israel is not another round of conflict, and that they fully support our right to defend ourselves," Conricus concluded.

173 rockets hit the city of Ashkelon since the start of Operation Swords of Iron since last Saturday, according to the city's municipality.

This is from 1,015 rockets that Hamas fired targeting the city.

The city asks residents to follow the directions of the Home Front Command.

Military and police forces continue to be scattered all over the city in order to increase the sense of security and deterrence in the area.

Magen David Adom warned against unsupervised breast milk that came from abroad, which could endanger the lives of babies, according to a statement released by the health organization.

The Magen David Adom National Mother's Milk Bank learned that this morning's coolers of breast milk arrived in Israel from countries abroad without the milk being tested and it could endanger the lives of babies and even cause death.

Since the beginning of the war, the MDA milk bank has been providing breast milk to babies who need it: babies who were orphaned, whose mothers were kidnapped or injured, or babies whose mothers were recruited into the IDF.

Health Ministry guidelines state that only milk from the National Breast Milk Bank, that meets strict supervision conditions, passes all the required tests and processes, and is provided as part of an emergency activity for needy babies, is safe to feed.

Majed Ibrahim, a 19-year-old resident of Abu Ghosh, died of his wounds in the hospital, after he was mortally wounded five days ago by shrapnel from a rocket near his home, Ynet reported Saturday.
 

The IDF Arabic language spokesman shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the IDF will allow safe movement for Gazans on two main roads in the southern territory between 10:00 a.m. and 16:00 p.m. on Saturday. 

IDF foiled a cell of Palestinian terrorists that operated under Hezbollah's direction and tried to infiltrate into Israel via Lebanon, a military spokesperson said.

An IDF remotely piloted aircraft attacked the squad and eliminated three terrorists from the cell.

IDF personnel eliminated Murad Abu Murad, the head of Hamas's Air Force, in Gaza City on Friday, Hebrew media reported.

Murad largely took part in directing terrorists in the murderous attack last Saturday.

Murad's death came as the IDF attacked Hamas's operational headquarters in the region.

Israel Police and Border Police investigate the circumstances of a driver in the West Bank trying to drive through a border (credit: ISRAEL POLICE)

A vehicle heading from the West Bank toward Jerusalem drove through the Al-Za'im crossing at high speed while ignoring officer calls to stop Saturday morning, according to Israel Police.

Near the Naomi Shemer Interchange, the suspect changed direction on the road and started driving in the opposite direction leading the police to pursue him. The suspect hit a border police vehicle in his attempts to flee.

Near Matzudat Adumim junction, the suspect began to flee and drive recklessly. Border police fired shots, killing him, according to the police. 

West Bank driver rams through checkpoint, sparking police chase | The man was shot dead by Border Police

Full story: https://t.co/WHGRY91eCH pic.twitter.com/roPxa7dBI9

— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) October 14, 2023

Bomb squad enacted

Jerusalem Envelope Border Police and Israel Police responded to the scene, alongside the Jerusalem District Bomb Disposal unit.

The vehicle was subsequently secured, launching an investigation into the identity of the suspect, as well as his goals in the attack.