Israel’s Operation Swords of Iron Update October 12, 2023
JINSA
Israel’s Operation
Swords of Iron Update
October 12, 2023
Ari Cicurel
Assistant Director of Foreign Policy
Yoni Tobin
Policy Analyst
Zachary Schildcrout
Policy Analyst
Anna Schaftel
Programs and Outreach Associate
On October 7, Hamas launched an unprovoked and unprecedented multi-pronged attack on
Israel by land, air, and sea. JINSA issued a NatSec Brief with an early assessment of the war
on October 8 and has produced updates throughout the war. JINSA also held a webinar
yesterday with JINSA Vice President for Policy Blaise Misztal and Senior Vice President for
Israeli Affairs IDF MG (ret.) Yaacov Ayish. Below are updated information and analysis, which
JINSA will continue to produce throughout the conflict.
Last 24 Hours
Attacks Against Israel
l At least 5,000 rockets, mortars, drones, and other projectiles have been fired from Gaza
during the war.
» On Thursday morning, seven rockets struck Sderot and Beit Shemesh, and sirens
sounded in Jerusalem, Even Yehuda, Tayibe, Ariel, and Kfar Yona, as well as in
locations in southern Israel.
» An anti-tank guided missile was reportedly launched from the Gaza Strip on Thursday
morning, hitting an empty house in Netiv Ha’asara.
l A false alarm occurred on October 11 in which a number of air raid sirens went off across
northern Israel, with media sources reporting that 15-20 drones had infiltrated into Israel
from Lebanon.
» Further sirens went off ten minutes later amid reports that a terrorist had entered into
Israel from Lebanon and had infiltrated the Israeli border towns of Ma’ayan Baruch and
Ma’alot Tarshiha.
» The sirens were a false alarm, according to IDF Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel
Hagari, who stated, “there was an error, and we are investigating it – we will check if it
was a technical fault or human error. The bottom line is I want to calm the public and say
that at this stage, there is no major security incident in the north.”
l IDF soldiers found an ISIS flag in Kibbutz Sufa in the equipment of a Hamas terrorist.
IDF Operations
l The IDF announced that it launched strikes on over 200 targets in Gaza in the last 24 hours.
