October 7, 2023 · Southern Israel / Gaza Envelope Theater

Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood at 6:29 AM, breaching the Gaza security fence at more than 30 locations simultaneously. Approximately 3,000 militants — on foot, by motorcycle, and by paraglider — poured into Israeli communities. Kibbutz Be'eri, Kfar Aza, Nir Oz, and a dozen other communities were overrun. The Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re'im was attacked; over 360 festivalgoers were massacred. IDF response units took hours to reach the area. By nightfall, approximately 1,200 Israelis were dead and 250 had been taken hostage to Gaza.

October 27 – December 2023 · Northern Gaza Theater

After three weeks of heavy air bombardment, the IDF launched its ground invasion on October 27 with two armored divisions entering northern Gaza. The advance was contested through densely built urban terrain and Hamas's vast tunnel network — 'the Metro' — which ran beneath hospitals, mosques, and residential buildings. The IDF fought for Gaza City block by block, uncovering tunnel shafts, weapons caches, and command infrastructure. By December, Israeli forces had largely cleared northern Gaza and Gaza City, though at significant civilian cost.

December 2023 – April 2024 · Southern Gaza Theater

Khan Younis — Gaza's second-largest city and Yahya Sinwar's hometown — was the next phase of the IDF campaign after clearing northern Gaza. The battle was fought in heavily built-up residential neighborhoods packed with displaced people from the north. Hamas resistance was fierce and the tunnel network extensive. International pressure over civilian casualties intensified as the death toll climbed past 30,000. The IDF declared the main phase of the Khan Younis battle complete in April 2024 but continued clearing operations.

May 7, 2024 – October 2024 · Southern Gaza / Rafah Theater

Despite intense US and international pressure to hold off, Israel launched its Rafah operation on May 7. Over 1 million displaced Palestinians had sought shelter in Rafah, making it the most densely populated city on earth. The IDF seized the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, cutting off the last major aid entry point. The operation proceeded block by block through the summer. On July 13, a targeted strike killed Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. On October 17, a random IDF infantry patrol encountered and killed Yahya Sinwar in Rafah's ruins.