On October 7 in history, several significant events occurred:
- In 2001, the War in Afghanistan began with American and British air strikes against Al Qaeda and Taliban targets, marking the start of Operation Enduring Freedom in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks.
- In 1996, Fox News broadcasted for the first time, becoming a major 24-hour news channel in the United States.
- In 1959, the Soviet spacecraft Luna 3 sent the first pictures of the far side of the Moon, helping astronomers map the "dark side."
- In 1944, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Sonderkommando revolt took place, a prisoner rebellion at a Nazi crematorium that was quickly suppressed with heavy casualties.
- In 1919, KLM, the oldest airline still operating under its original name, was formed.
- October 7 is also notable for the birth of prominent figures like Vladimir Putin (1952), Desmond Tutu (1931), and Toni Braxton (1967).
More recently, on October 7, 2023, there was a large-scale coordinated attack by Hamas from Gaza into southern Israel, the deadliest day in Israeli history, leading to a prolonged conflict and many casualties and hostages taken.
