Israel has intensified its military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, launching heavy bombing raids and issuing mass evacuation orders in southern Lebanon and Gaza. This comes as officials have issued new threats of a retaliatory strike against Iran before the one-year anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attacks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops near the Lebanese border and expressed confidence that Israel would come out victorious in the conflict. Despite calls from European leaders, including Keir Starmer, for a ceasefire to end the wars in Lebanon and Gaza, Israeli forces are preparing to escalate their attacks. A blanket evacuation order was issued for the northern Gaza Strip, affecting hundreds of thousands of civilians.
In Gaza, health workers reported that 24 people were killed and many others wounded in an Israeli airstrike on a mosque in central Gaza. The Israeli military claimed that the mosque was being used as a Hamas command post. Meanwhile, Israeli jets carried out airstrikes in the Dahiyeh neighborhood of southern Beirut, described as the most severe bombing of the war, targeting the Shia militia Hezbollah stronghold.
In Israel, a suspected terror attack at the central bus station in Be’er Sheva resulted in the death of one woman and injuries to 10 others. The attacker, Ahmad al-Uqbi, was shot and killed by police. The incident has put Israel on high alert as the country prepares to commemorate the anniversary of the 7 October attacks.
Following the attack, Israel’s transportation minister, Miri Regev, called for the deportation of the attacker’s family as a deterrent measure. This incident comes after a terror attack in Jaffa, Tel Aviv, where seven people were killed by two Palestinian men from the West Bank town of Hebron.
Israel is gearing up for the 7 October commemorations, with President Isaac Herzog planning to tour border communities along Gaza. The country remains on edge as it anticipates possible fresh strikes against Iran in retaliation for a recent attack that targeted a crucial airbase.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant emphasized that the attack by Iran had not affected the air force’s capabilities and vowed to strike back at Iran at a time of Israel’s choosing. Prime Minister Netanyahu paid tribute to fallen soldiers along the Lebanese border, acknowledging the sacrifices made in the ongoing conflict.
The situation remains tense as Iran’s foreign minister warned of a strong retaliation if Israel were to attack. The region is on high alert as the conflict shows no signs of abating.
