October 15, 2023 - Israel At War, Day 9

Israel has turned the water back on into southern Gaza as evacuations continue prior to a lengthy Israeli ground invasion

Today is October 15, 2023, and here is the latest about what is happening in Israel. If you enjoy these daily updates, and want access to more, exclusive content, or to support my work, then please consider becoming a monthly subscriber by clicking the button below.

We have now entered the ninth day of the war in Israel, and here is everything you need to know. One note before I dive into the news: With war, there is a lot of information that is often difficult to compartmentalize into easily digestible reads. And, with the news moving at a fast pace, news is often missed and information is often interpreted incorrectly at first.

1) Ground Invasion Imminent

A ground invasion remains imminent with sources suggesting that Israel may invade Gaza at any minute. The New York Times recently reported that Israel initially planned on launching its ground operations in Gaza over the weekend, but that due to weather the operation was postponed for a later point. As part of this reporting, the Times suggested that Israel plans on sending tens of thousands of troops to capture and kill Hamas fighters, going door to door, until all are eradicated. This is consistent with the rhetoric coming from Israeli leaders who have said that Israel is prepared for a lengthy war that could last weeks or even months. 

Despite the lack of a ground invasion thus far, Israel continues to amass troops on the border of North Gaza and has called on citizens in North Gaza to immediately evacuate and seek safe haven in the south. Along with these warnings, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the frontlines, met with troops, and signaled that the next phase in the war will begin soon. 

However, as of this post a ground invasion has not begun yet. Whether the New York Times article is accurate or not remains to be seen. Any invasion of Gaza will have substantial impacts, both on civilians in Israel and Gaza, but also on the future. Many questions remain unanswered including whether other parties would get involved in the conflict (like Syria or Iran), and what happens after Israel successfully takes Gaza. With so many unknowns, the only thing that is guaranteed right now is that the next several months will be difficult for those in the region. 

2) Israel Opens Water Pipes

Meanwhile, Israel has opened up the water pipes leading to Southern Gaza in an attempt to get more people to evacuate from the north as the ground invasion looks to begin shortly. For several days now Israel has laid siege to the Gaza Strip, turning off all water and electricity to the area. However, in what has been deemed to be an olive branch from the Israeli military, the water has been turned back on for residents fleeing the north. 

3) More American Support for Israel

As the death toll of Americans in Israel rises to 29, with 15 still missing (presumed to be held hostage by Hamas in Gaza), the United States of America is reaffirming its support for Israel both financially but also militarily. Overnight, the United States moved another massive warship to the waters off the coast of Israel. The United States Central Command confirmed that the Carrier Strike Group 2, which is led by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, will be moving toward the Eastern Mediterranean sea to join USS Gerald Ford Carrier Strike Group which arrived earlier this week. The Eisenhower contains nine aircraft squadron, guided missile destroyers, and more. Read the full press release here:

4) Iran Sends a Warning

Late last night, news broke that the Iranian Government sent a warning to Israel, via an envoy at the United Nations, that although Iran does not want to see an escalation in the region, if Israel continues with its attacks in Gaza, including a potential ground invasion, Iran will likely get involved. This latest threat came as the Iranian Foreign Minister met with Hamas' leader in Qatar. Following the meeting, Hamas released a statement asserting that Iran had agreed to deepen ties with Hamas and support Hamas' operations. Since the start of the war there has been significant speculation and debate over Iran's involvement in funding Hamas or planning the attack. Although no concrete evidence has appeared of either, this is an area that must be watched as the possibility of a larger conflict with Iran slowly grows by the day. 

5) Hezbollah Likely To Get Involved, Uncertainty Remains

This morning, Hezbollah increased its attacks on Israeli positions in the north with the two exchanging significant fire between one another.

This brings up an extremely troubling and uncertain situation as many question what the future looks like for this conflict, with some on the ground expecting it to bring in other actors and turn into a larger regional conflict. I will provide you updates on this as soon as we have them.

Disclaimer: With any war, news and information is often scattered and hard to come by, as I learn more you will be the first to know.