After nearly six weeks of war, Israel is experiencing a significant decrease in the intensity of rocket attacks from the radical Palestinian movement, Hamas, according to The Times of Israel.
In the first few hours following Hamas’ attack on October 7th, over 3,000 rockets were launched into Israel, allowing the militants to infiltrate the southern border with the Gaza Strip. However, after the declaration of war and the start of air and ground operations against Hamas, Israel has faced approximately 7,000 rockets with considerably less intensity.
At the beginning of the war, air raid sirens were sounded so frequently in Israel that residents of many towns and cities were forced to seek shelter multiple times a day. However, the situation has changed after five weeks.
Data from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) shows that from October 7th to 14th, there were over 3,500 missile attack warnings and drone attack alerts. From October 29th to November 4th, the number of air raid sirens decreased to 582, and from November 5th to 12th, there were only 455.
The publication notes that the IDF believes Hamas is preparing for a prolonged war and continues to accumulate rockets. However, the group is facing significant difficulties in launching attacks from the northern part of the Gaza Strip, where Israeli forces control a significant territory.
The situation in the Middle East escalated after thousands of Hamas militants infiltrated Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip on October 7th, when Hamas announced the start of the “Flood of Al-Aqsa” operation. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the country was in a state of war.
The goal of Israel’s retaliatory operation, “Iron Swords,” was to repel the attack, free over 200 hostages, including foreigners, and destroy Hamas. As part of achieving this objective, Israel conducted massive rocket bombardments of the Gaza Strip from the first day of the operation. Additionally, the Israeli National Security Council decided to halt the supply of water, food, goods, electricity, and fuel to the Gaza Strip. Humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza only resumed through the Rafah Crossing after October 20th, and their volume is considered insufficient.
On October 27th, Israel announced an “expansion” of the ground operation in Gaza. The exact start date of this operation is unknown, but hundreds of thousands of Palestinians had already fled their homes and sought refuge or moved to the southern part of the enclave prior to its commencement. As of November 5th, clashes are still ongoing in the center of Gaza, as the IDF has surrounded the city and cut off its supply routes.
Earlier, Medvedev had mentioned the prospect of a century-long war in the Middle East.
