This is a list of notable engagements during theGaza war, encompassing land, naval, and air engagements, covering events which took place or began during theOctober 7 attack and immediately afterwards, including Israel's declaration of war on 8 October, the imposition of the2023 Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, and active operations in the Gaza Strip. It also covers other engagements in and around Israel directly related to its conflict in Gaza, including Israel's operations in occupiedWest Bank and southern Syria, support for Palestinian militants fromHezbollah inSouthern Lebanon, and intensified attacks on commercial vehicles byHouthi movement in theRed Sea.
| Name | Location | Start date | End date | Primary opponents | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 7 attacks | Gaza Envelope,Southern District, Israel | October 7, 2023 | October 8, 2023 |  Hamas | Hamas tactical victory[4]
|
| Israel-Hezbollah conflict | Israel,Lebanon andSyria | 8 October 2023 |  Hezbollah[5] | Ongoing | |
| Israeli incursions in the West Bank | Israeli-occupiedWest Bank with spillover intoIsrael[13] | 11 October 2023 | Ongoing | ||
 Palestinian Authority | |||||
| Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip | Gaza Strip with spillover intoIsrael[14] | 27 October 2023[a] | 19 January 2025[15] | Hamas[16] | Ongoing
|
| 18 March 2025 | |||||
| Red Sea crisis | Red Sea,Red Sea,Gulf of Aden (esp.Bab-el-Mandeb),Arabian Sea,Mediterranean Sea,[c]Israel,Saudi Arabia,Egypt, andYemen | 19 October 2023 |  Houthi Yemen[d] | Ongoing
| |
| Israeli invasion of Syria | Syria | 8 December 2024 |
| Ongoing
|
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Early in the morning of 7 October 2023, approximately 3000 militants,[37][38] fromHamas,Palestinian Islamic Jihad, thePFLP, andDFLP,[39] breached theGaza fence and attacked multiple locations in Southern Israel.[37][38] After the IDF repelled most of the attacks, the militants retreated back intoGaza Stripwith multiple hostages captured.
| Engagement | Location | Start date | End date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nahal Oz attack |  Nahal Oz | 7 October 2023 | 7 October 2023 | Attack repelled[60][61] |
| Battle of Re'im | Re'im | 7 October 2023 | 7 October 2023 | Attack repelled[62] |
| Battle of Sufa | Sufa | 7 October 2023 | 8 October 2023 | Attack repelled[63] |
| Zikim attack | Zikim,Bahad 4 | 7 October 2023 | 7 October 2023[a] | Attack repelled[64][65] |
| Battle of Ofakim | Ofakim | 7 October 2023 | 9 October 2023 | Attack repelled[66] |
| Battle of Sderot | Sderot | 7 October 2023 | 8 October 2023 | Israeli victory[67] |
After the attack carried out by Hamas militants, Israeli government declared war to Hamas and began preparing its counter-attack, which began on 27 October.[68] Prior to that, the IDF launched a series of airstrikes throughout the territory andblockaded it, leaving no electricity or supply delivery tracks.[69][70]
| Campaign | Location | Start date | End date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip | Gaza Strip | 7 October 2023 | Ongoing |
| Refugee camp airstrikes | Gaza Strip | 9 October 2023 | Ongoing |
| Attacks on schools in Gaza | Gaza Strip | 17 October 2023 | Ongoing |
| Insurgency in the North Gaza Strip | Gaza City,Jabalia,Beit Lahia | 7 January 2024[71][72] | 19 January 2025[15] |
| Name | Location | Start date | End date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle of Beit Hanoun | Beit Hanoun (North) | 28 October 2023 | 31 May 2024[73][74] |
| Clashes in Netzarim Corridor | Netzarim Corridor | 30 October 2023[75] | 9 February 2025[76][77] |
| 18 March 2025 | 10 October 2025 | ||
| Siege of Gaza City | Gaza City (North) | 2 November 2023[78] | 19 January 2025 |
| Al-Shifa Hospital siege | 11 November 2023[79] | 24 November 2023[80] | |
| 18 March 2024[81] | 1 April 2024[82] | ||
| Battle of Jabalia | Jabalia (North) | 8 November 2023 | 31 May 2024 |
| Battle of Shuja'iyya | Shuja'iyya (North) | 8 December 2023 | 26 December 2023 |
| Shuja'iyya incursion | 28 June 2024 | 10 July 2024 | |
| 2025 Shuja'iyya offensive | 4 April 2025 | 20 August 2025 | |
| Siege of Khan Yunis | Khan Yunis (South) | 1 December 2023 | 7 April 2024 |
| July 2024 Khan Yunis incursion | 22 July 2024 | 30 July 2024 | |
| August 2024 Khan Yunis incursion | 9 August 2024 | 30 August 2024 | |
| Battle of Khan Yunis (2025) | 26 May 2025 | 10 October 2025 | |
| Siege of Al-Qarara | Al-Qarara (South) | 6 December 2023 | 7 April 2024 |
| Hamad City incursion | Hamad (South) | 4 March 2024 | 16 March 2024 |
| Rafah offensive | Rafah (South) | 13 February 2024[83] | 31 January 2025[84] |
| 20 March 2025[85] | 26 May 2025 | ||
| Siege of North Gaza | Jabalia,Beit Hanoun,Beit Lahia (North) | 5 October 2024 | 19 January 2025 |
| May 2025 Gaza offensive | Gaza Strip | 16 May 2025 | 4 August 2025 |
| 2025 Beit Hanoun offensive and siege | Beit Hanoun,Gaza Strip,Palestine | 5 July 2025 | 10 October 2025 |
| Deir al-Balah offensive | Deir al-Balah,Gaza Strip,Palestine | 21 July 2025 | 10 October 2025 |
| 2025 Gaza City offensive | 20 August 2025[b] | 4 October 2025 |
Alongside its invasion into Gaza Strip, Israel has carried out multiple attacks on the territory of PalestinianWest Bank, which ispartially occupied by the IDF.[137][138] The goal stated by Israel was to eliminate Hamas militants which fled there from Gaza Strip. ThePalestinian Authority, which has not proclaimed itself a supporter of the IDF, is also conducting operations against Hamas militias.[139][140]
| Name | Location | Start date | End date | Initiator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Israeli incursions in Tulkarm | Tulkarm | 10 March 2023[c] | Ongoing | Israel |
| West Bank unrest | West Bank | 26 July 2024 | 31 July 2024 | Palestinian Authority |
| 2024 Israeli military operation in the West Bank | West Bank | 28 August 2024 | October 2024 | Israel |
| Raids in Tubas | Tubas Governorate | 8 October 2024 | November 2024 | Palestinian Authority |
| Operation Protect the Homeland | Jenin | 5 December 2024 | 21 January 2025[142] | Palestinian Authority |
| 2025 Israeli operation in Jenin | Jenin | 21 January 2025[142] | Ongoing | Israel |
| Name | Location | Date | Attacker | Casualties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lehi Street bombing | Tel-Aviv | 18 August 2024 | Hamas | 1[143] |
| Allenby Bridge shooting |  Allenby Bridge | 8 September 2024 | Islamic Resistance in Jordan | 4[144][145] |
| 2024 Jaffa shooting | Jaffa,Tel Aviv | 1 October 2024 | Hamas | 9[124] |
| 2024 Tulkarm Camp airstrike | Tulkarm | 3 October 2024 | Israel | 20+[125] |
| 2025 al-Funduq shooting | Al-Funduq | 7 January 2025 |  Hamas andPIJ | 3[146] |
| Bat Yam bus bombings | Bat Yam | 20 February 2025 | Hamas | 0[147] |
Lebanese militant groupHezbollah started launching rockets intoNorthern Israel andGolan Heights on October 8, 2023, to support Palestinian forces against Israel. In response, Israel bombedSouthern Lebanon, the region of highest Hezbollah presence, as well as engaged in clashes with militants close to the Israeli-Lebanese border.
| Campaign | Location | Start date | End date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attacks on journalists |  Lebanon | 13 October 2023 | Ongoing |
| 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon | Southern Lebanon | 1 October 2024[148] | 27 November 2024[149] |
| Name | Date | Location | Attacker | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Majdal Shams attack | 2 July 2024 | Majdal Shams, Golan Heights, Israel | Hezbollah | [150] |
| Central Beirut medical center airstrike | 4 October 2024 | Beirut, Lebanon | Israel | [151] |
| Derdghaya Melkite Church airstrike | 9 October 2024 | Derdghaya, Lebanon | Israel | [152][153] |
| Bachoura airstrike | 10 October 2024 | Bachoura, Lebanon | Israel | [154][155][156] |
| Binyamina strike | 13 October 2024 | Binyamina, Israel | Hezbollah | [157][158] |
| Aitou airstrike | 14 October 2024 | Aitou, Lebanon | Israel | [159] |
| Attack on Nabatieh municipal council | 16 October 2024 | Nabatieh, Lebanon | Israel | [160] |
| Drone attack on Benjamin Netanyahu's residence | 19 October 2024 | Caeserea, Israel | Hezbollah | [161] |
| Sahel Alma airstrike | 19 October 2024 | Sahel Alma, Lebanon | Israel | [162] |
| Batroun operation | 2 November 2024 | Batroun, Lebanon | Israel | [163] |
| Target | Affiliation | Date | Location | Other deaths | Notes and Other Notable Casualties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbas Raad | Redwan Force | 22 November 2023 | Beit Yahoun | 4 | Raad was the son of Hezbollah MPMohammad Raad.[164] |
| Razi Mousavi |  Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps | 25 December 2023 |  Sayyidah Zaynab | 3 | Iranian general serving in theIRGC'sQuds Force.[165] |
| Saleh al-Arouri | Hamas | 2 January 2024 | Dahieh,Beirut | 6 | Al-Arouri was the deputy chairman of Hamas' political bureau, mostly operating in Lebanon. Also killed Hamas commander Azzam Al-Aqra.[166][167] |
| Sami Fendi | Hamas | ||||
| Mushtaq Talib Al-Saeedi | Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba | 4 January 2024 |  Baghdad, Iraq | 1+ | Former senior commander of the 12th brigade of thePopular Mobilization Forces.[168] |
| Wissam al-Tawil | Redwan Force | 8 January 2024 | Majdel Selm | 1 | Senior commander ofHezbollah'sRedwan Force.[169] |
| Ali Hussein Barji | Hezbollah | 9 January 2024 | Khirbet Selm | 1 | Death denied by Hezbollah.[170] |
| Sadegh Omidzadeh | Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps | 20 January 2024 | Mezzeh,Damascus | 10 | Also killed four other Iranian officials, Ali Aghazadeh, Saeed Karimi, Hossein Mohammadi and Mohammad Amin Samadi.[171] |
| Fadi Suleiman | Hezbollah | 21 January 2024 | Kafra | 3 | Survived; other Hezbollah affiliates killed.[172] |
| Abu Baker al-Saadi | Kata'ib Hezbollah | 7 February 2024 | Baghdad, Iraq | 3 | Commanders ofKata'ib Hezbollah. Perpetrated by the United States in response to theTower 22 drone attack.[173] |
| Arkan Al-Alawi | |||||
| Abbas al-Dabs | Hezbollah | 8 February 2024 | Nabatieh | 2 | Hezbollah operative that worked withIRGC.[174][175] |
| Basil Salah | Hamas | 10 February 2024 | Jadra | 3 | Survived; civilians and Hezbollah affiliates killed.[176] |
| Hadi Ali Mustafa | Hamas | 13 March 2024 | Tyre | 2 | A member of Hamas' construction bureau.[177] |
| Mohammad Reza Zahedi | Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps | 1 April 2024 | Damascus | 6 | Iranian senior military officer in theIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed by Israel to be a primary communicator with Hezbollah.[178] |
| Taleb Abdallah | Hezbollah | 12 June 2024 | Jwaya | 4 | Commander of the Nasr unit of Hezbollah.[179] |
| Mohammed Deif | Hamas | 13 July 2024 | Al-Mawasi, Rafah | Deif was leading theAl-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing that executed the October 7 attacks, while Salama was in charge of its Khan Yunis branch. Both of them were killed during heavy artillery strikes on Al-Mawasi. Their deaths were announced by the IDF shortly after the attack and denied by Hamas until January 2025.[180][181] | |
| Rafa Salama | |||||
| Fuad Shukr | Hezbollah | 30 July 2024 | Haret Hreik,Beirut | 3 | Senior Hezbollah member who was accused by Israel of being involved in theMajdal Shams attack.[182][183] |
| Ismail Haniyeh |  Hamas | 31 July 2024 |  Tehran, Iran | 2 | Haynieh was the political leader of Hamas and one of the perpetrators of the October 7 attack. The airstrike also killed his bodyguard.[184] |
| Ibrahim Aqil | Redwan Force | 20 September 2024 | Haret Hreik,Beirut | 55 | Commander-in-chief of theRedwan Force, Hezbollah's special operations unit.[185] |
| Hassan Nasrallah | Hezbollah | 27 September 2024 | Haret Hreik,Beirut | 33+ | Nasrallah was the Secretary-General of Hezbollah since 1992. Karaki was aJihad Council member and Niforoushan was a commander of the Lebanese IRGC branch.[186][187] |
| Ali Karaki | |||||
| Abbas Nilforoushan | Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps | ||||
| Hashem Safieddine | Hezbollah | 3 October 2024 | Dahieh,Beirut | 26 | Safieddine was expected to become Hassan Nasrallah's successor as Secretary-General of Hezbollah.[188] |
| Yahya Sinwar | Hamas | 16 October 2024 | Tel al-Sultan,Khan Yunis | 2 | Hamas leader and one of the main perpetrators of theOctober 7 attack. Killed in action while not being Israel's initial target.[189] |
| Issam al-Da'alis | Hamas | 18 March 2025 | Unknown location, | Watfa, al-Da'alis and Sultan were high-ranked Hamas officials governing the Gaza Strip, while Hamza was the spokesperson for the PIJ. They were killed different locations during the first wave of Israel's surprise attacks on Gaza, along with other Hamas figures.[190][191] Da'alis was previously claimed by Israel to have been assassinated on 23 July 2024, but Hamas denied the claim. | |
| Mahmoud Abu Watfa | Gaza City | ||||
| Bahjat Abu Sultan | Unknown location, Gaza Strip | ||||
| Abu Hamza | Palestinian Islamic Jihad | Nuseirat refugee camp | |||
| Salah al-Bardawil | Hamas | 23 March 2025 | Khan Yunis | 22 | Hamas' political bureau senior member and spokesperson.[192] |
| Name | Date | Attacker | Weapons | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operation True Promise I | 13–14 April 2024 | Iran | Medium-range missiles | Israel |
| Israeli retaliation strikes | 19 April 2024 | Israel | Drones | Iran |
| Operation True Promise II | 1 October 2024 | Iran | Medium-range missiles | Israel |
| Operation Days of Repentance | 26 October 2024 | Israel | Heavy munitions | IranIraqSyria |
On Oct. 7, Hamas militants surprised Israel and slaughtered 1,200 people while taking more than 200 as prisoners. It was an impressive tactical success for the group.
But this Hamas victory might prove Pyrrhic. In fact, Hamas itself might have been surprised by the extent of its initial success. The trauma in Israel today should give pause to those thinking that Israel will simply acquiesce to a short tit for tat.
Hamas's successful surprise attack on October 7, 2023, exactly 50 years after October 6, 1973, in the Yom Kippur War, has once again raised the question, in all seriousness, of why and how strategic surprises occur.
... the Israeli government and scholarly community are more than capable of identifying the errors of omission and commission that contributed to the operational and tactical success enjoyed by Hamas during the October 7 raid that killed about 1200 Israeli civilians and soldiers and enabled the taking of over 250 hostages.
Second, the Hamas attack on October 7 once again demonstrated how a determined non-state armed group can successfully confront a much stronger adversary, precisely because it is—and rightly so, according to objective criteria—considered to be an order of magnitude weaker.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas executed a devastating surprise attack that overwhelmed Israel's defenses, killed over 1,200 people, abducted 251, and shattered the nation's security assumptions in mere hours. This defeat—described by the Israeli military as a collapse of the Gaza Division—was not simply a tactical triumph but a strategic masterstroke enabled by profound Israeli intelligence and operational failures. A recent IDF investigation lays bare the systemic weaknesses that Hamas exploited.
The October 7 operation by Hamas ended up in defeat for the Israelis as a result of their misinterpretation of intelligence data.
Despite launching a successful surprise attack on 7 October, Hamas's capabilities are no match for the IDF.
The stunningly successful surprise attack launched by Hamas from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel at the weekend has opened a dark new chapter in the years-long war between the Islamist militant group and its Israeli enemies.
The Israeli military on Thursday released the results of its first internal probe into the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, admitting to major failings in the defense of Kibbutz Beeri, a hard-hit town on the Gaza border ... Those questions include why military forces gathered at the gate of the kibbutz for hours without entering, the root causes of the intelligence failure that permitted Hamas's invasion and whether the soldiers who arrived understood that their primary objective was to protect civilians.
At 06:30 on the morning of 7 October 2023, Hamas launched more than 5,000 rockets reportedly fired towards Israel from multiple locations in Gaza, as well as ground operation into Israel.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)… Israel Defense Forces battled Hamas militants to regain control of the city and its police station.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israeli forces, Khalil Hayya, head of Hamas in Gaza, has confirmed.
