The ‘ground shook in Gaza last night’ – IDF continues ground operations, war moves into ‘new phase’

Israel Defense Forces continued its ground operations inside the northern Gaza Strip throughout Saturday, after Israeli forces crossed the border near the town of Beit Hanoun yesterday evening in an escalation of the 21-day-old war against the Hamas terrorist organization.

The IDF gave its first detailed statement about the ground operations, stating that combat teams made up of a combination of tanks, engineering and infantry units, supported by artillery, entered the northern Gaza Strip as the Israeli Air Force continued its unprecedented bombardment of Hamas targets.

The “ground shook in Gaza last night,” Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated on Saturday morning, adding that Israel had “entered a new stage in the conflict...the operation will continue until new orders are given.”

During the night, 150 underground targets of Hamas were destroyed by airstrikes.

As part of the operations on the ground, IDF soldiers identified and struck several Hamas terror squads while they attempted to launch anti-tank missiles and rockets, and identified and destroyed a trapped house.

Israeli forces also attacked from the air, as helicopter gunships struck a meeting point of Hamas terrorists in a building after being directed by tanks, and a drone struck another trapped house containing Hamas terrorists.

Combined combat forces of armor, combat engineers and infantry have been operating on the ground in northern Gaza since early Friday evening.

As part of the operation IDF soldiers:

🔴Identified terrorist cells attempting to launch anti-tank missiles and mortar shells and struck… pic.twitter.com/QVv44VrXD0

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 28, 2023

Gallant said that the IDF had now completed one phase of the warfare and began the next phase.

“We will continue to be strong and precise, and hunt down every terrorist,” he said.

The IDF confirmed that no Israeli soldiers have been injured during the ground operation so far.

In a briefing on Saturday afternoon, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi emphasized that the “expansion of the IDF’s operational activity furthers the war’s goals.”

A statement from LTG Herzi Halevi.

“The objectives of this war require a ground operation - the best soldiers are now operating in Gaza.” pic.twitter.com/KUGj6cG4Ke

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 28, 2023

“Three weeks have passed since the start of the war. This war has stages, and today we moved into a new phase,” Halevi continued.

“The IDF is regularly assessing the situation and advancing according to the stages of the war,” he said, adding, “The objectives of the war require ground entry. There are no achievements without risks, and there is no victory without prices being paid.”

“In order to expose the enemy and destroy it, there is no other way but to enter its territory with great force,” Halevi stressed.