Two Years of the War

October 7, 2023

Beginning at 06:29, rocket sirens blared across central and southern Israel, as barrages of rockets were launched from inside Gaza towards the whole country. It was unclear to most that this was not an independent attack, but the beginning of a coordinated and large-scale one.

At 07:07, missiles rained down indiscriminately on Israeli towns, sending millions of civilians racing to protected areas. Minutes later, residents along the border of Gaza were urgently instructed to remain indoors as reports surfaced of armed terrorists infiltrating Israeli communities. At 07:37, it was confirmed that at least dozens of Hamas terrorists had crossed the border, launching a murderous massacre against civilian homes, military bases, and music festivals. Later on, it was confirmed that thousands of terrorists had infiltrated.

By 07:53, the IDF declared a state of war. The Chief of Staff convened a rapid situational assessment and approved emergency operational plans, while the Home Front Command instructed the population to remain in shelters and safe rooms.

The Hamas terrorist organization was identified as the orchestrator of the attack and would be held fully responsible for its consequences.

This marked the beginning of a national tragedy. A massacre.

October 7–9, 2023 – Largest IDF Mobilization in History

In the immediate aftermath of the October 7 Massacre, the IDF launched the largest mobilization in Israel’s history. Within 48 hours, over 300,000 reservists were called to service, assembling across the country to reinforce active units, secure the home front, and prepare for multi-front operations.

Simultaneously, Israel began mass evacuations in the north. Tens of thousands of civilians from border towns such as Kiryat Shmona and Metula were displaced, as Hezbollah initiated missile fire into Israeli territory on October 8, opening a second front of the war.

This historic mobilization demonstrated the scale of the threat Israel faced, as well as the national resolve to defend against coordinated assaults from Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah along the Lebanese border.

October 13, 2023 – IDF Issues Evacuation Call to Gaza City Civilians

On October 13, the IDF issued an announcement calling on all civilians in Gaza City to evacuate their homes and move southward, beyond Wadi Gaza. The directive was to protect civilians, as Gaza City had become the central arena of Hamas’ military activity.

Hamas terrorists embedded themselves in civilian areas: In tunnels beneath homes, mosques, and residential buildings. They began using the local population as human shields. The IDF emphasized that civilians who evacuated would be distancing themselves from Hamas and protecting their families, while stressing that the return to Gaza City would only be permitted once future announcements allowed.

The warning also served as a signal of the IDF’s operational intent: That significant military activity would intensify in Gaza City. While the IDF reiterated its commitment to avoid civilian casualties, it underscored Hamas' strategy of embedding itself in civilian infrastructure that placed the population in grave danger.

This marked one of the largest civilian evacuation calls in the history of the conflict, demonstrating both the scale of Hamas’ entrenchment in Gaza City and the IDF’s determination to separate civilians from combat zones.

November 24–30, 2023 – Hostage Deal and Mass Release

Between November 24 and 30, 2023, Israel secured the release of 105 hostages in the largest single release of Israeli captives from Hamas in history. The deal, reached under international mediation, marked a significant humanitarian breakthrough amid the ongoing war.

Women, children, and elderly civilians, who had been held in captivity in Gaza since the October 7th Massacre, were returned from captivity. Their release was carried out in stages over several days, with the IDF and security forces coordinating their transfer and immediate medical and psychological care upon return to Israel.

While the release provided relief for dozens of families, more than a hundred hostages still remained in Hamas captivity, their fate uncertain. The deal highlighted both Israel’s determination to bring its civilians home, and the immense human toll inflicted by Hamas’ use of hostages as a weapon of war.

April 13, 2024 – First Direct Iranian Attack on Israel

On the night of April 13, Iran launched a direct assault on Israel, deploying waves of UAVs from Iran toward Israeli airspace. This marked the first time the Islamic Republic itself carried out a direct attack against the State of Israel.

The IDF immediately raised its alert level across all branches. Air defense systems were activated, while IAF aircraft and Navy vessels took up protective positions to safeguard the country’s skies and borders.

At 23:00, IDF Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari confirmed that Iran had launched unmanned aerial vehicles from its territory towards Israel and that it would take several hours to reach Israel. He emphasized that the IDF was fully prepared, both defensively and offensively, having anticipated such scenarios in advance.

In a complex, hours-long defensive air battle, the IDF operated in close coordination with international partners led by U.S. CENTCOM, the UK, France, and others, showcasing exceptional performance by the IAF and Intelligence Directorate, under the command of the Chief of the General Staff from the Israeli Air Force Operations Center.

July 27, 2024 – Hezbollah Attack on Majdal Shams

On July 27, Hezbollah carried out a deadly strike on the Druze town of Majdal Shams in northern Israel. An Iranian-made Falaq-1 rocket, armed with a 53-kilogram warhead, was deliberately launched at a soccer field where children were playing. The attack killed 12 children.

Hezbollah initially claimed responsibility for the strike on its Telegram channel, but later attempted to deny involvement. IDF intelligence quickly exposed the deception: Hezbollah is the sole force in Lebanon equipped with the Falaq-1 system, and the rocket was traced to a launch site north of Chebaa, in southern Lebanon. The attack was directly overseen by Hezbollah’s regional commander, Ali Muhammad Yahya.

The targeting of children highlighted Hezbollah’s blatant disregard for civilian life and its reliance on Iranian-supplied weaponry to carry out terror attacks against Israeli towns.

July 30, 2024 – Targeted Elimination of Fuad Shukr

On July 30, the IDF conducted a precise strike in Beirut, eliminating Fuad Shukr, one of Hezbollah’s most senior commanders, and named by many as Nassrallah's right hand man. His removal came just three days after the rocket attack that killed 12 children in northern Israel.

Shukr served as a close military adviser to Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, and held the position of Chief of Staff within the organization. He was also the commander of Hezbollah’s precision missile project, overseeing the development and deployment of advanced Iranian weaponry aimed at Israel.

His legacy of terror extended beyond the region. Shukr played a central role in orchestrating the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, which killed 241 American servicemen.

September 27, 2024 – Elimination of Hassan Nasrallah

On September 27, 2024, the IAF carried out a precise intelligence-based strike in Beirut that eliminated Hassan Nasrallah, the long-time leader of Hezbollah. Under Nasrallah’s leadership, Hezbollah became not only a central threat to Israel’s security, but also a global actor in terrorism and organized crime. Beyond orchestrating attacks against Israeli and Western targets, Hezbollah expanded into international criminal enterprises, including arms trafficking, narcotics smuggling, and money laundering, making it one of the most dangerous terror-criminal networks worldwide.

The elimination of Nasrallah represented a decisive operational and symbolic achievement. It struck at the very core of Hezbollah’s leadership. For Israel and its allies, his death marked a turning point in the fight against Iran’s network of terror proxies.

September 30, 2024 – Launch of Operation Northern Arrows

The IDF initiated Operation Northern Arrows with limited, targeted ground operations in southern Lebanon. The goal was clear: To remove Hezbollah’s threat on Israel’s northern border, dismantle Hezbollah weapons hidden in civilian homes and infrastructure, and restore security in Israel’s north in order to allow for the safe return of thousands of displaced Israeli civilians. UNIFIL was notified in advance, with ongoing coordination to avoid harm to UN personnel and civilians.

On November 6, the IAF eliminated Hussain Abd Al-Haleem Harb, Hezbollah’s Khiam regional commander, and struck multiple Hezbollah battalion commanders and infrastructure in Beirut’s Dahieh district. In parallel, IDF ground troops seized large quantities of weapons hidden inside civilian homes.

Over 100 Hezbollah targets were struck across Lebanon and Gaza on November 7,  a Hezbollah training center near a UNIFIL base was discovered on November 8, and rocket launch sites and weapons caches near Chebaa and throughout southern Lebanon were dismantled on November 9–10.

From November 12–16, the IDF dismantled Hezbollah’s strongholds in Dahieh, including facilities previously revealed by Israel. Ground troops uncovered underground compounds hidden beneath cemeteries, weapons depots inside schools, and multi-barrel rocket launchers aimed at Israeli communities. Over 140 launchers had been destroyed and more than 200 Hezbollah operatives, including senior Radwan commanders, were eliminated.

Airstrikes in Beirut, Tyre, Nabatieh, and southern Lebanon systematically targeted command centers, weapons depots, and rocket arrays.

On November 17, the IDF confirmed the elimination of Mohammed Afif, Hezbollah’s chief propagandist and longtime spokesperson. The following days saw intensified operations, with IDF brigades uncovering Hezbollah combat compounds in mountainous terrain and weapons caches hidden in civilian areas.

By November 19-20, the IDF eliminated Ali Tawfiq Dweiq, the commander of Hezbollah’s medium-range rocket array, responsible for more than 300 launches on Israel, and senior anti-tank commanders who had directed fire towards the Western Galilee. A Hezbollah rocket struck two UNIFIL posts, injuring peacekeepers and further exposing the terror group’s disregard for international forces.

Strikes continued into November 21-22, with IDF forces dismantling advanced weapons, and the IAF expanded precision strikes in Beirut’s Dahieh area.

October 16, 2024 – Elimination of Yahya Sinwar

On October 16, 2024, the IDF confirmed the elimination of Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, and chief architect of the October 7th Massacre. His death was the culmination of months of sustained operations in Rafah.

Hundreds of terrorists were eliminated in close-quarters combat and through precision airstrikes, strategically closing in on Sinwar and preventing his escape.

During an operation in Tel al-Sultan, troops identified suspects who opened fire and threw grenades. The soldiers returned fire and pursued the terrorists into two adjacent buildings. Supported by tank fire, the troops neutralized the terrorists. The following morning, as scans of the area continued, the body of Yahya Sinwar was found.

The elimination of Sinwar represented not only the removal of Hamas’s top leader, but also the dismantling of its military command in Rafah.

November 26, 2024 – Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire Agreement

On November 26, 2024, Israel and Lebanon signed a ceasefire agreement, mediated by five countries, including the United States. The deal came after more than a year of Hezbollah attacks on Israel since October 8, 2023, and extensive IDF operations in southern Lebanon.

The ceasefire formalized the end of active combat in the region, paving the way for stabilization along Israel’s northern border and the return of displaced residents.

December 8, 2024 – Ongoing Operations in Southern Syria

IDF operations in southern Syria continue with two primary objectives: Protecting the Syrian Druze population from regime and jihadist attacks, and preventing the buildup of armed forces near Israel’s borders that could threaten civilian communities.

IDF troops apprehended weapons dealers, confiscated arms caches containing RPGs, rifles, and ammunition, and disrupted attempts by armed groups to reinforce the As Suwayda area. Air and ground strikes targeted tanks, rocket launchers, pickup trucks armed with heavy weapons, and key Syrian regime infrastructure, including the military headquarters near Damascus.

Along the border, troops prevented infiltration attempts from Hader, safely returned civilians who crossed into Syria near Majdal Shams, and maintained vigilance against potential threats. Forces in the Golan Heights were reinforced, aerial defense systems readied, and intelligence gathering increased.

15 January-22 February, 2025 – Second Hostage Release from Hamas Captivity

On January 15, 2025, Israel secured the release of 33 living hostages in the first stage of the ceasefire deal with Hamas. This marked another significant milestone in returning civilians held captive since the October 7th Massacre.

The returnees included children, women, and men, and their release was coordinated carefully to ensure safe transfer back to Israel. In addition, the remains of four dead hostages were returned for burial in Israel.

May 2025 – Operation Gideon’s Chariots

The IDF launched Operation Gideon’s Chariots in Gaza, with the goals of returning 50 hostages and dismantling Hamas’ governing and military infrastructure. The operation was a direct continuation of Israel’s response to the October 7 Massacre, in which Hamas killed 1,200 civilians and kidnapped 251 others.

Over the course of the operation, more than 800 Hamas terror targets were struck across multiple areas in Gaza. Humanitarian aid was delivered into Gaza to mitigate civilian hunger throughout the operation.

June 13, 2025 – Operation Rising Lion

On June 13, 2025, the IDF launched Operation Rising Lion, 12-days of preemptive strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The operation struck two of the regime’s most dangerous programs: The nuclear weapons development and missile infrastructure.

The IAF dismantled dozens of missile production sites, destroyed over 200 launchers, and eliminated four Iranian army chiefs of staff, numerous commanders, and 11 senior nuclear scientists. Key sites in Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz, including nuclear reactors, centrifuge facilities, and uranium enrichment plants, were destroyed, while the inactive Arak reactor was struck to prevent reactivation. Additional strikes targeted IRGC headquarters, nuclear command centers, and archives containing critical weapons program documentation. The United States targeted Iran’s key nuclear sites at Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz, in a historic move of coordinated military action against Iran’s nuclear program.

Over 900 targets were neutralized, including 15 enemy aircrafts. Notably, an Iranian aerial refueling aircraft was destroyed at Mashhad Airport, 2,400 kilometers from Israel. Approximately 50% of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers were eliminated, and numerous missiles were intercepted before reaching Israeli territory.

27 civilians and one off-duty soldier were murdered from the Iranian missiles shot at Israeli civilian infrastructures.

October 2023-2025 – Largest Humanitarian Aid Operation in Gaza

Since the start of the Swords of Iron war in October 2023, Israel has facilitated the largest multinational humanitarian aid operation ever conducted in Gaza. Over 1.9 million tons of aid were delivered, transported in nearly 100,000 large trucks, providing critical food, medical supplies, and essential resources to civilians.

2023–2025 – Multi-Front War Against Iran’s Proxies

For the first time in its history, Israel has been engaged in simultaneous combat on seven fronts: Gaza (Hamas), Lebanon (Hezbollah), Yemen (Houthis), Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Judea and Samaria. This unprecedented multi-front conflict reflects the coordinated threat posed by Iran and its network of terrorist proxies, requiring Israel to balance intensive military operations, intelligence gathering, and civilian protection across multiple arenas.

The campaign highlights Israel’s strategic and operational capabilities, demonstrating the IDF’s ability to respond simultaneously to complex threats, while protecting national security and defending civilians at home and abroad.