Israel Mobilizes 100,000 Troops for Gaza Incursion

It might be the worst intelligence failure since the 1973 Yom Kippur War, a conflict that almost destroyed Israel after a surprise attack from Syria and Egypt. Israel was on the brink as Syrian forces reclaimed the Golan Heights, and it was by sheer luck that this invading force didn’t move further to capture the key bridges along the Jordan River. Israel’s heartland would’ve been wide open. The game could’ve been over, so Israel continues to respond forcefully against incursion by terrorists and its Arab neighbors since it’s a nation with no strategic depth. How Jerusalem was caught sleeping amid this latest assault by Hamas on October 7 must be investigated since Shin Bet and Mossad are some of the most capable agencies in the world.

Israeli security cabinet makes it official: Israel declares war for first time since 1973
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) October 8, 2023

#BREAKING Israel officially confirms that over 100 Israelis are being held in Gaza.
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) October 8, 2023

NEW: Hamas says they’re targeting Ben Gurion airport with rockets. Sirens sounding outside of Tel Aviv.
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) October 8, 2023

NSC confirms to Fox that several U.S. citizens have been killed in Israel.

Per NSC spox: We continue to monitor the situation closely and remain in touch with our Israeli partners, particularly the local authorities.
— Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) October 8, 2023

This attack occurred on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, and like that last war, the assault began during a Jewish holiday. Hamas used Simchat Torah to launch thousands of rockets as cover for a land, sea, and air assault that could only have been made possible with outside help, considering its sophisticated nature. Iran has admitted they helped plan the assault, to no one’s surprise except the inept and weak Biden administration who might have been caught subsidizing terror operations with these billion-dollar care packages to the Islamic Republic.

The death toll has risen to 700, with reports of kidnappings, rapes, and murder of Israeli citizens caught in the fighting. Hamas operatives paraglided into Southern Israel, with other terrorists attacking over two dozen areas along the Gaza border. As Katie wrote today, this is Israel’s 9/11, and some Americans were also kidnapped and murdered by these terrorists.

The footprint from Hamas was around 1,000 terrorists who stormed the infiltrated Israeli territory. Border Police and other forces are still fighting to restore order to the security situation in the area, but tanks and troops are being mobilized for a ground assault. Around 100,000 Israeli troops are ready to go into Gaza, with more reservists expected to be called up as Israel expects this to erupt into a multi-front war. Hezbollah has already launched rocket and mortar attacks in the northern Israel (via Associated Press):

1,000 terrorists took part in invasion of Israel Saturday: IDF spokesman
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) October 9, 2023

IDF: 100,000 troops ready to assault Gaza https://t.co/CVMJE7443d
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) October 9, 2023

Wow. Hezbollah claims responsibility for rocket and mortar fire that targeted multiple Israeli positions in the north.

Israel has already responded by striking Hezbollah locations.
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) October 8, 2023

More than 24 hours after Hamas launched its unprecedented incursion out of Gaza, Israeli forces were still battling with militants holed up in several locations Monday morning. At least 700 people have reportedly been killed in Israel — a staggering toll on a scale the country has not experienced in decades — and more than 400 have been killed in Gaza.
Israel said it brought in special forces to try to wrest control of four sites from Hamas fighters, including two kibbutzim that militants entered earlier in their attacks.
[…]
Meanwhile, Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad group claimed to have taken captive more than 130 people from inside Israel and brought them into Gaza, saying they would be traded for the release of thousands of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The announcement, though unconfirmed, was the first sign of the scope of abductions.
The captives are known to include soldiers and civilians, including women, children and older adults — mostly Israelis but also some people of other nationalities. The Israeli military said only that the number of captives is “significant.”
As many as 1,000 Hamas fighters were involved in Saturday morning’s assault, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, speaking on ABC’s “This Week.” The high figure underscored the extent of planning by the militant group ruling Gaza, which has said it launched the attack in response to mounting Palestinian suffering under Israel’s occupation and blockade of Gaza.
[…]
In northern Israel, a brief exchange of strikes with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group fanned fears that the fighting could expand into a wider regional war. Hezbollah fired rockets and shells Sunday at Israeli positions in a disputed area along the border, and Israel fired back using armed drones. The Israeli military said the situation was calm after the exchange.
[…]
Israelis were still reeling from the breadth, ferocity and surprise of the Hamas assault. The group’s fighters broke through Israel’s security fence surrounding the Gaza Strip early Saturday. Using motorcycles and pickup trucks, even paragliders and speedboats on the coast, they moved into nearby Israeli communities — as many as 22 locations.

Israeli airstrikes are hammering Gaza.

NOW: Heavy Israeli airstrikes are targeting Gaza
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) October 8, 2023

Meanwhile, a disturbing number of folks at home, abroad, and even in our own Congress are taking the side of these bloodthirsty terrorists.

Swords of Iron—42 hours in.

These are the NUMBERS.

This is the reality of Israel right now. pic.twitter.com/eUSNBFRgB2
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 8, 2023