Sirens, destruction prevail in Israel on first anniversary of October 7 massacre

JERUSALEM: Israel continues to reel under attacks from terrorist groups Hezbollah and Hamas as the country marks the first anniversary of the October 7 massacre which has left thousands of people dead, and injured and hundreds taken as hostages

In a post on social media platform X, Israel’s Defence Force (IDF) noted today, October 8 would mark one year since “Hezbollah dragged the region into a multi-front war and began their constant attacks on Israeli civilians”.

The Israeli Army noted that rocket sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and Galilee along with other central towns last night, with massive destruction seen in cities like Haifa. Sirens continued to wail across major cities of Israel.

Local Israeli news outlets have reported that as a part of its retaliation efforts, IDF killed Suhail Hussein Husseini, the head of Hezbollah’s logistical headquarters in an airstrike in Beirut yesterday.

Times of Israel noted that Husseini was responsible for the budgeting and logistical management of Hezbollah’s most sensitive projects, including the organisation’s war plans and other special operations, such as coordinating terrorist attacks against Israel from Lebanon and Syria”.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his address to the country said, “The memory of our citizens who were killed in the terrorist attack, and the memory of all the fallen heroes from the IDF and security forces, will be cherished forever”.

“As long as the enemy threatens our existence and the peace of our country, we will continue to fight. As long as our hostages are still in Gaza, we will continue to fight. We will not forsake any of them. I will not give up. As long as our citizens have not returned to their homes safely, we will continue to fight, and united — we will win”.

Messages of condolences from around the world poured in to mark the solemn anniversary. US Vice President Kamala Harris, in a press statement, said, “It was the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust”.

Emphasising on America’s steadfast support to Israel, she noted, “I will do everything in my power to ensure that the threat Hamas poses is eliminated, that it never again able to govern Gaza. I will always ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists like Hamas. My commitment to the security of Israel is unwavering”. (ANI)