MOSCOW, Oct. 29 The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) recorded six launches towards Israeli territory and returned fire after an air raid alert was reported in the northern city of Kiryat Shmona near the Lebanese border.
«After the initial report of sirens sounded in the city of Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel, six launches were recorded towards Israeli territory. IDF soldiers opened fire at the places from which the launches were made,» the army reported on its Telegram channel .
The army also says it struck a missile launch site in Lebanon that it reported being attacked about an hour ago. Then the IDF recorded three shells flying from the direction of Lebanese territory, two of them were intercepted, one fell in an open area.
On October 7, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented-scale rocket attack from the Gaza Strip as part of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, announced by the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement. After this, the organization’s fighters entered the border areas in southern Israel, where they opened fire on both military and civilians, and also took hostages. In Israel, according to local authorities, more than 1.4 thousand people were killed, including 300 military personnel, and more than 5 thousand were injured.
In response, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Swords against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Within a few days, the Israeli military took control of all populated areas near the border with Gaza and began carrying out air strikes on targets, including civilians, in the strip. Israel also announced a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip: the supply of water, food, electricity, medicine, and fuel was stopped.
The number of victims in the Gaza Strip, according to the local Ministry of Health, exceeded 8 thousand people, half of whom were children, over 18 thousand were injured. As the conflict escalates, at least 20 Russians have died, three are believed to be held hostage, and several more remain missing. According to various sources, more than 200 Israelis are being held captive by Hamas.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called on the parties to stop hostilities. According to the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the settlement of the Middle East crisis is possible only on the basis of a “two-state” formula approved by the UN Security Council, which provides for the creation of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with its capital in East Jerusalem.
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict, related to the territorial interests of the parties, has been a source of tension and clashes in the region for many decades. A UN decision with the active role of the USSR in 1947 determined the creation of two states — Israel and Palestine, but only the Israeli one was created.