TEL AVIV, October 9. /TASS/. There are six sites of active fighting in southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip, The Times of Israel reported, citing Daniel Hagari, top Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman.
According to him, fighting is ongoing in Be’eri, Kfar Aza, Nirim and Alumim. He added that last night, "some 70 terrorists infiltrated Be’eri." "Most of them were killed in battle with IDF troops, but others are still hiding in homes," the paper added. Seven terrorists were identified near Kfar Aza, and the mouth of a tunnel was found, Hagari noted. Six terrorists were identified near Kibbutz Nirim, and another four in Alumim, he added.
Hagari estimated that since October 7, the Israeli army had killed 425 Palestinian extremists in the Gaza Strip, and hundreds more in Israeli territory. The IDF stated that it had hit 1,148 targets across the Gaza Strip.
The army spokesman stressed that the IDF was drafting hundreds of thousands of reservists.
Israel came under missile attack from the Gaza Strip on the morning of October 7. Simultaneously, several groups of militants infiltrated the Jewish state, engaging in fighting with Israeli forces. The Israeli army declared a state of readiness for war and launched a retaliatory operation dubbed Iron Swords. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant authorized the callup of reservists and ordered the expansion of "the special security situation" to the entire country.