Good morning, readers!

The world was already a mess, but now we have another war to add to the pile.

Today, we have prepared a quick rundown of the quickly escalating Israel-Palestine war.

Today’s hotspots

Hamas launches a surprise attack on Israel.

Imagine waking up to the sound of sirens, rockets, and gunfire.

That’s what happened to millions of Israelis on Saturday when Hamas and Islamic Jihad launched a massive and unprecedented offensive from Gaza.

At a glace.

• October 7th, Saturday: Hamas launches a surprise attack against Israel from Gaza.

• October 8th, Sunday: The Israeli Political-Security Cabinet invokes Article 40 Apleph to formally declare ware for the first time since 1973.

The attack.

🔎 To invade Israel, they used:

• tunnels

• boats

• bulldozers

• thousands of rockets

They infiltrated Jewish communities near Gaza, killing and taking hostages. Their rockets reached as far as Tel Aviv.

The trigger.

• Hamas spokesperson Khaled Qadomi declared that their military action is a direct retaliation to the long-standing Palestinian suffering.

• Hamas military chief Muhammad Deif signaled to Israel that the “time of their rampaging without accountability has ended.”

🔎 Here are some possible factors:

• The rising tension between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where Israeli soldiers have been clashing with Palestinian protesters.

• Recent clashes have occurred at the al-Aqsa mosque, a holy site for both Muslims and Jews.

• The Iranian government may have encouraged Hamas to sabotage the potential peace deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

The Israeli response.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu declared a state of war and vowed to make Hamas pay an “unprecedented price.”

• He ordered airstrikes on Gaza and cut off electricity and fuel supplies to Gaza, which could affect its medical facilities.

• Israel indicated it may launch a ground invasion, but this would carry huge risks for its troops and hostages.

Casualties (so far).

Please note that the following numbers are rising rapidly.

• Wounded: Above 2,200.

• Deaths: Above 1,000.

• Hostages: Above 130.

Iran’s help & approval.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah confirmed that Iran has been helping plot the attack since August.

International response.

🇮🇷 Iran:

*Operation Al-Aqsa Flood is the codename for the attack.

**Hamas and Hezbollah are designated as terrorist organizations by the US and Israel.

🇺🇸 US:

Other nations’ response: (link)

Intelligence failure.

Israel is known for having one of the best intelligence agencies in the world, Mossad. But even Mossad couldn’t see this coming.

• Analysts believe Hamas had planned the attack months in advance.

• Critics say that Israel was too distracted and divided by its own political turmoil, and couldn’t coordinate its security forces.

• Even Israel’s notorious Iron Dome missile defense system was overwhelmed by the sheer number of rockets fired by Hamas.

Quick updates

Click the country's name for more.👇🏻

🇹🇷 Turkey:

Turks rally for Palestine, praise Hamas attacks on Israel.

The streets of Istanbul were filled with Turkish flags and anti-Zionist banners as thousands of protesters marched in support of Hamas, the Palestinian militant group.

The demonstrators praised Hamas for launching rockets at Israel and called for an end to the Israeli occupation.

✱ NOTE: The march was organized by the Anatolian Youth Association, a conservative Islamist group with ties to President Erdogan.

🇪🇬 Egypt:

Israeli tourists shot dead by Egyptian policeman.

A rogue Egyptian policeman opened fire on a group of Israeli tourists visiting the ancient site of Pompey’s Pillar in Alexandria, killing two of them and their guide. A third Israeli was wounded in the attack.

The motive of the shooter is unknown, but it may be related to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

✱ NOTE: The shooting occurred the day after the massive invasion of Israel by Hamas fighters.

🇷🇺 Russia:

Rogue agent plots to kill Putin, spills the beans at karaoke.

You can’t make this stuff up.

A Russian security officer allegedly got drunk and blabbed about his mission to assassinate President Vladimir Putin at a suburban karaoke bar. A businessman, whom the rogue officer told about his assassination mission, was so disturbed that he reported the incident to the authorities, sparking a manhunt for the rogue agent.

The plot was uncovered just days before Putin’s 71st birthday last Saturday.

✱ NOTE: The karaoke bar, called “Honey,” is a hotspot for state agents.

🇰🇵 North Korea:

Kim Jong-un sends Putin a gift: artillery.

It’s not your typical friendship bracelet, but it’s what North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un chose to show his support for Russia’s war with Ukraine.

Satellite images reveal an “unprecedented” number of freight railcars along the border, likely carrying weapons and ammo. The traffic is far greater than at any time in the past five years, even before the pandemic.

✱ NOTE: This military shipment would violate several UN Security Council resolutions.