Swords of Iron: Here is what happened on days 1 and 2

Hamas terrorists have reportedly infiltrated an IDF base located in Israel's southern district on Saturday, according to an Israeli security source.

Contact with the soldiers at the scene has been cut off. 

This is a developing story. 

The Saudi Foreign Ministry called on Saturday for an immediate end to the acts of violence between Israel and the Palestinians.

This comes following rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip into Israel and the infiltration of Hamas in Israeli towns and villages.

A barrage of rockets slammed into southern and central Israel Saturday morning, as Hamas terrorists infiltrated the country and took over Southern Israeli towns and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel is at war.

"We are at war, not in an operation or in rounds, but at war," the prime minister said in a video statement. The IDF declared its operation "Iron Swords."

Some 22 people were dead, Magen David Adom reported.

Ofir Liebstein, head of the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, was killed in an exchange of fire with terrorists. Liebstein was killed as he defended his settlement during an attack. Deputy head of the council, Yossi Keren is currently filling his place.  A second Israeli - a woman in her 60s - was killed when a rocket directly hit her building in the Gederot Regional Council.

The names and identities of the other victims had not yet been released.

"The Hamas [terrorist organization] has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel. IDF troops are fighting against the enemy at every location," said Defense Minister Yoav Gallant following a situation assessment. The State of Israel will win this war.”

The IDF was striking the southern region and communities near the Gaza Strip with multiple operational forces it said Saturday afternoon in an operation it is calling "Iron Swords."

 "Operational commanders are arriving to manage the combat in all areas," explained IDF Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Hagari. "Concurrently, we have initiated the call-up of reservists for various units within the IDF."

Numerous IDF units, including special units, have been deployed to the Gaza periphery and are engaging in various combat zones to protect the residents of the southern region. Dozens of IDF warplanes attacked 17 military compounds and four operational headquarters belonging to Hamas throughout the Gaza Strip, an IDF spokesperson said.

מבצע "חרבות ברזל"

עשרות מטוסי קרב וכלי טיס נוספים של צה"ל תקפו בשעות האחרונות 17 מתחמים צבאיים ו-4 מפקדות מבצעיות של ארגון הטרור חמאס ברחבי רצועת עזה pic.twitter.com/ZM91Adym0v

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) October 7, 2023

The Civil Aviation Authority has said that no sports or leisure flights could take off into Israeli airspace until further notice in light of the security situation. 

This is a developing story.

The IDF was striking the southern region and communities near the Gaza Strip with multiple operational forces it said Saturday afternoon in an operation it is calling "Iron Swords."

 "Operational commanders are arriving to manage the combat in all areas," explained IDF Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Hagari. "Concurrently, we have initiated the call-up of reservists for various units within the IDF."

According to the Hagari, some 2,200 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory. Simultaneously, there were several infiltrations into Israeli territory in the southern part of the country.

Numerous IDF units, including special units, have been deployed to the Gaza periphery and are engaging in various combat zones to protect the residents of the southern region. Dozens of combat aircraft from the Air Force have recently struck several targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip.

The IDF Spokesperson calls on the public to listen to the instructions of the Home Front Command, which save lives.

"There are no excuses for the violent attacks by terrorist group Hamas on Israel. They must stop immediately," said Tobias Billström, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, in a Twitter statement.

"My full solidarity and thoughts with the people around Gaza, where terrorists have intruded. The Swedish Goverment condemns these ruthless attacks on civilians by air and land and stand together against terrorism."

"Latvia strongly condemns the recent attacks by Hamas on Israel, leading to civilian casualties. Such attacks are regrettable and fuel escalation in a highly flammable situation," stated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia on Twitter.

"We follow with anguish the news coming from Israel", said the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell in a statement on Twitter. 

"We unequivocally condemn the attacks by Hamas. This horrific violence must stop immediately. Terrorism and violence solve nothing. The EU expresses its solidarity with Israel in these difficult moments."

Hezbollah issued a statement on Saturday saying they were closely following the situation in Gaza and are in "direct contact with the leadership of the Palestinian resistance".

Following events involving Gaza militants who fired a barrage of rockets into Israel, the statement added that it was a "decisive response to Israel's continued occupation and a message to those seeking normalization with Israel."

Egypt warned of "grave consequences" from an escalation in tensions between Israel and the Palestinians in a statement from the foreign ministry carried by the state news agency on Saturday.

It called for "exercising maximum restraint and avoiding exposing civilians to further danger".