Capitals: Europe and the Arabs
The Israeli army focused its operations on the central Gaza Strip, Thursday morning, despite the critical situation for civilians and calls for a ceasefire. This is happening amid expectations of a possible “expansion” of operations on the border with Lebanon. According to Belgian media reports in Brussels this morning.
The Palestinian Wafa news agency reported that Israeli forces also intensified their air strikes on Wednesday evening on major cities in the West Bank such as Jenin and Ramallah, where the Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, is based.
On the other hand, the Israeli Army Chief of Staff warned against intensifying artillery shelling on the border with Lebanon. Hezbollah operates there and, like the Palestinian Hamas movement, is part of the “Axis of Resistance,” a group of armed groups close to Iran and hostile to Israel.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli soldiers indicated that they would continue their operations in Khan Yunis, the main city in the south where Hamas said 20 people were killed and dozens wounded on Wednesday, as well as in refugee camps in the center of the Strip. The Hamas Ministry of Health reported bloody attacks during the night in Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah, where the refugee camps are located.
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A drone crashes in the Golan Heights and the Iraqi militia claims the attack
A drone crashed in the Israeli-annexed part of the Golan Heights. The Israeli army confirmed this after an Iraqi militia claimed responsibility for an attack on the area.
According to Israeli media, the drone is likely equipped with explosives. Israeli air defenses shot down a drone launched from Syria south of the Eliad settlement. Although there was severe material damage, no injuries were reported.
The pro-Iranian Islamic Resistance militia in Iraq claimed responsibility for the attack. It said it had hit a "vital target" near Eliade.
The Israeli army is preparing for a possible attack in Lebanon
Israeli forces are preparing for a possible attack against the Shiite Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. This was stated by the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army, Herzi Halevy, on Wednesday, during a visit to the army command in the city of Safed, in the north of the country.
Halevy said about the situation in southern Lebanon: “Today we agreed on a series of plans for the future and we must be prepared for an attack if necessary.” According to the Chief of Staff, the Jewish state's army is "in a very high state of readiness."
Since the beginning of the current war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip on October 7, the IDF has also been engaged in ongoing fighting with Hezbollah units in southern Lebanon. On Wednesday, Hezbollah fired rockets at the Israeli border town of Kiryat Shmona, damaging several buildings and no casualties reported. The Lebanese National News Agency reported that three people, including a Hezbollah fighter, were killed in Israeli attacks on targets in Lebanon on Wednesday.
Hezbollah has ties with Hamas and is considered much stronger. The group enjoys the support of Iran.