Day 381 of the war: A car explosion in Damascus, reportedly caused by a missile strike, results in at least one fatality, while the IDF intercepts five unmanned aircraft over the Mediterranean. Simultaneously, rocket attacks trigger sirens in various Israeli communities, from the Galilee to Sderot. Amid the developments, preparations are underway for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Jerusalem, where he will meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other officials to discuss the ongoing crisis, including post-war Gaza plans and hostage release efforts. The situation is further complicated by a major espionage case involving Israelis allegedly spying for Iran, prompting discussions about potential citizenship revocation for the suspects.
Video: Aftermath of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, Oct. 20, 2024
On the agenda today: The funeral of Sgt. Elishai Young, 19, from Dimona, who fell in the northern Gaza Strip, will be held at 11:00 a.m. At 11:30 a.m., a conference titled "Preparing for Settlement in Gaza" will begin, led by Knesset members and ministers from the Likud party. At 5:00 p.m., the funeral of Cl. Ahsan Daksa, commander of the 401st Brigade who fell in the Gaza Strip, will take place at the military cemetery in Isfiya. US Middle East envoy Amos Hochstein is expected to arrive in Beirut today. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will arrive tomorrow for a visit and series of meetings in Israel. Greek airline Blue Bird will resume its flights to Israel.
October 21
7:23 p.m.: Sirens warning of rocket and missile fire activated in Manara.
5:50 p.m.: Sirens warning of rocket and missile fire activated in Kibbutz Senir in the Galilee Panhandle and Kibbutz Merom Golan in the northern Golan Heights.
5:41 p.m.: Sputnik news agency reports the person hit in the Damascus attack was visiting a condolence tent set up following the elimination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. The agency also reports a missile fired by an Israeli plane flying in Lebanese airspace.
Damascus explosion: Syrian opposition reports Israeli strike on vehicle in Al-Mezzeh area. https://t.co/Swbhf2QB5I
— Israel Hayom English (@IsraelHayomEng) October 21, 2024
5:31 p.m.: IDF spokesperson: Following recent alerts in Sderot and Ivim, the Air Force intercepted one launch from northern Gaza.
5:25 p.m.: Syrian report: Car explodes in Al-Mezzeh area of Damascus, near Golden Mezzeh Hotel entrance. At least one fatality in the burning vehicle. Report claims one missile was fired at the car.
5:15 p.m.: Radio station affiliated with Assad regime reports explosion sounds in Al-Mezzeh area of Damascus. Syrian TV states circumstances are being investigated.
5:10 p.m.: Sirens activated in Sderot and Ivim.
5:06 p.m.: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Jerusalem tomorrow. Blinken also expected to meet Defense Minister Gallant and families of hostages.
4:54 p.m.: IDF reports Air Force helicopters and fighter jets intercept five unmanned aircraft in Mediterranean airspace. The drones were intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory. No security concern for Ben Gurion Airport area.
4:52 p.m.: Sirens warning of rocket and missile fire activated in Kiryat Shmona and in the communities of Misgav Am, Beit Hillel, Kfar Giladi, and HaGoshrim in the Galilee Panhandle.
4:50 p.m.: Grounded aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport ordered not to take off, a decision coordinated with defense authorities.
4:33 p.m.: Interior Minister Moshe Arbel instructs advisory committee to consider revoking citizenship of Israelis suspected of acting as Iranian agents during wartime. Arbel states, "Israel will act to expel and denounce those who act against it."
4:28 p.m.: Sirens warning of rocket and missile fire activated in Kabri, Yaara, Ben Ami, Matzuva, and Shlomi in Western Galilee.
4:14 p.m.: Palestinian reports: Casualties in an airstrike on a house in western Gaza City.
2:15 p.m.: Major espionage case: Seven Israelis, including two minors, charged with spying for Iran over two years. They photographed air force bases, military camps, and Iron Dome sites for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
2:09 p.m.: Sirens sound in Carmiel and surrounding areas.
1:42 p.m.: Hochstein after meeting with Nabih Berri: We're committed to implementing Resolution 1701. Washington wants to end the war as soon as possible.
1:40 p.m.: Galilee barrage: One person lightly injured by shrapnel in Ayelet Hashachar.
1:24 p.m.: Fire breaks out in Ayelet Hashachar following barrage on Upper Galilee. Unclear if caused by interceptor or debris.
1:14 p.m.: Sirens sound in the Upper Galilee.
12:55 p.m.: Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati states, "There is no alternative to UN Resolution 1701. New understandings can be reached to implement it."
12:49 p.m.: IDF, Shin Bet, and Border Police forces conduct a large-scale operation in Deir Abu Mash'al, arresting terrorists and dismantling terror infrastructure. Overnight, forces arrest 15 wanted individuals across Judea and Samaria. In Jenin, an undercover Border Police force raids a vehicle of an armed suspect, who is then transferred for Shin Bet investigation.
12:41 p.m.: Magen David Adom: Following the sirens heard in the last few minutes in the Haifa and northern sector, three people are treated for anxiety and minor injuries sustained while rushing to shelters.
12:39 p.m.: Following the alerts activated a short time ago in the Galilee, Gulf, Wadi Ara, and Valleys regions, the Air Force intercepts one launch that crosses from Lebanese territory.
12:32 p.m.: Sources tell Al-Hadath that Israel conveys a message to Hezbollah that all of Dahieh in Beirut would be destroyed if Israeli officials are attacked again.
12:28 p.m.: Major volley on Haifa, Krayot, Galilee.
12:27 p.m.: Sirens sound in the Yokneam Illit industrial area.
12:12 p.m.: IDF strikes 15 launchers aimed at northern Israeli communities in the past hour.
12:08 p.m.: Al-Arabiya claims that Hezbollah attempted to attack two additional Israeli politicians, besides Netanyahu.
12:07 p.m.: Sirens sound in Hila, Meona, Ma'ilia, and Ein Ya'akov.
12:04 p.m.: US envoy Amos Hochstein arrives in Beirut and begins his meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
11:42 a.m.: Sirens sound in Metula and Margaliot.
11:00 a.m.: Near residential areas: The 188th Brigade destroys weapons storage facilities containing dozens of long and short-range missiles, ammunition, dozens of mortars, machine guns, explosives, medical equipment, and a vehicle with a rocket launcher ready for firing.
Video: The 188th Brigade destroys weapons storage facilities / Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit
10:52 a.m.: Sirens sound in Kiryat Shmona and surrounding areas.
10:49 a.m.: Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman says the Republic has warned the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency about Israel's threats against its nuclear sites.
10:20 a.m.: Report from Lebanon: Casualties reported in a drone strike on a vehicle in the Tyre area.
10:12 a.m.: Sirens sound in Margaliot.
9:43 a.m.: The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel urges authorities to ensure that captured Hezbollah terrorists receive basic rights.
9:20 a.m.: Sirens activate in Margaliot.
9:11 a.m.: A source close to Hezbollah units in Iraq tells Al-Akhbar newspaper that the organization plans to deploy a new type of advanced drone. The source claims that Hezbollah also possesses sophisticated drones for intelligence gathering.
8:49 a.m.: IDF Spokesperson's Unit reports approximately 25 launches identified in a barrage toward the Galilee region. Impacts are detected in the area, but no casualties are reported.
8:47 a.m.: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announces that the THAAD air defense system, provided by the US, has been successfully deployed and is now operational in Israel.
8:36 a.m.: Sirens sound in Naot Mordechai due to concerns of hostile aircraft infiltration.
8:34 a.m.: Approximately 20 launches are identified in the latest barrage targeting Carmiel and surrounding areas.
8:31 a.m.: Overnight, 15 casualties from the northern combat zone are admitted to Ziv Hospital.
8:22 a.m.: Sirens activate in Carmiel, its surroundings, and the Western Galilee.
8:21 a.m.: An Iranian military source tells Tasnim news agency, "Our response will exceed expectations if Israel attacks Iranian military sites. Any Israeli attack on nuclear sites will be met with a response – with the possibility of reconsidering nuclear policy."
8:15 a.m.: Sirens sound in Margaliot.
8:03 a.m.: Reports from Lebanon indicate three casualties from an Israeli drone strike in Baalbek this morning.
7:59 a.m.: Palestinian sources report that the Israeli Air Force is conducting strikes in a "fire belt" pattern in northwest Gaza City.
7:57 a.m.: Sirens activate in Margaliot and Manara.
7:55 a.m.: The Israeli Air Force strikes command centers and locations in Beirut, Amouk, and southern Lebanon where funds for Hezbollah are stored.
"مشاهد جديدة للأضرار التي تسببها العدوان الإسرائيلي على منطقة #الشياح في #الضاحية_الجنوبية_لبيروت."#لبنان #الميادين_لبنان pic.twitter.com/ZBebOtlNjA
— الميادين لبنان (@mayadeenlebanon) October 20, 2024
These funds were reportedly kept in properties of Kard al-Hassan foundations, which directly finance weapon purchases and salary payments for Hezbollah operatives.
⭕Overnight, the IAF conducted a series of targeted, intelligence-based strikes against dozens of facilities and sites used by the Hezbollah terrorist organization to finance its terrorist activities against the State of Israel. The strikes were conducted in the areas of Beirut,…
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 21, 2024
6:53 a.m.: The main headline on the front page of Al-Akhbar newspaper reads: "Hochstein will negotiate under fire." The American envoy is expected to arrive in Beirut today.
6:44 a.m.: IDF reports indicate that a Hezbollah cell was eliminated from the air shortly after launching rockets into northern Israel. Additionally, fighters from the 162nd Division neutralize dozens of gunmen in the Gaza Strip.
6:18 a.m.: IDF announces that a military exercise will be conducted this morning in the Nahariya area. The exercise will involve heavy movement of vehicles and military forces, but there is no cause for concern regarding any security incidents.
6:10 a.m.: IDF says that civil defense siren tests will be conducted today in several communities in Judea and Samaria. The tests will be carried out at specific times in various locations throughout the morning.
6:02 a.m.: The Prime Minister's Office, following the conclusion of the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet meeting, states that new ideas were proposed to examine the feasibility of a hostage release deal.
5:40 a.m.: Reports from Gaza indicate that the Air Force struck a target in central Gaza City.
3:48 a.m.: Arab sources report that the Israeli Air Force renewed strikes in the Bekaa Valley, eastern Lebanon.
3:34 a.m.: Arab sources claim the Jordanian Air Force intercepted a drone en route to Israel from Iraq.
Video: Jordanian Air Force reportedly intercepts drone en route to Israel from Ira
2:56 a.m.: UNIFIL forces allege that an IDF bulldozer destroyed one of the organization's watchtowers in southern Lebanon.
2:49 a.m.: Rocket fire is reported toward Malkia and Avivim.
2:46 a.m.: The Prime Minister's Spokesperson announces the conclusion of the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet discussion. New ideas were proposed to examine the feasibility of a hostage release deal.
2:37 a.m.: Palestinian sources report that IDF forces began arrest operations in the village of Beit Fajjar, near Bethlehem.
2:33 a.m.: Pro-Iranian militias in Iraq claim to have launched a drone toward the Golan Heights.
2:16 a.m.: Reports indicate that the US has initiated an investigation into the leak of classified documents regarding plans to attack Iran.
2:13 a.m.: The Air Force intercepts an unmanned aerial vehicle that crossed into the country from the east.
1:56 a.m.: Concern of hostile aircraft infiltration in the Jordan Valley. IDF Spokesperson states details are under investigation.
1:21 a.m.: Palestinians report IDF bombings in the Bureij camp in central Gaza Strip.
12:28 a.m.: IDF Spokesperson confirms that alerts activated a short time ago in the Upper Galilee region for hostile aircraft infiltration were a false identification.
12:05 a.m.: Hostile aircraft infiltration reported in Misgav Am.
12:02 a.m.: A terrorist approaches the Migdal Oz settlement in the Etzion Brigade area, throwing Molotov cocktails and a burning tire. Regional Defense fighters arrest the terrorist, with no casualties or damage reported.
