Israeli forces conducted extensive bombardments in the northern Gaza town of Jabaliya on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of at least 33 individuals and injuring many others, according to a Palestinian emergency services group.
For a week, Israel has surrounded Jabaliya in an effort to eliminate Hamas fighters, who are reportedly reorganizing in the area. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) indicated that around 20,000 Palestinians have fled the neighborhood since Friday due to the ongoing bombardment. Paltel, Gaza's largest telecommunications provider, reported a complete internet outage in northern Gaza.
In Lebanon, the Israeli military escalated its operations with airstrikes targeting several areas outside Beirut, creating significant dust clouds. This increase in attacks followed a period of relative calm and came after Hezbollah warned of a "new and escalating phase" in its conflict with Israel.
In Gaza, the Health Ministry reported that Israeli forces targeted the entrance of the laboratory at Kamal Adwan Hospital, resulting in one death and several injuries. The ministry has raised alarms about a crisis in Gaza's hospitals due to fuel shortages and a lack of essential medical supplies.
Additionally, an Israeli airstrike reportedly struck a residential building in Beit Lahia, with Hamas officials claiming that dozens were killed. Medhat Abbas, a spokesman for the Gaza Health Ministry, stated that many individuals were wounded and missing.
The Israeli military is currently reviewing the situation and has disputed the death toll provided by Hamas officials, stating it "did not align" with their initial assessments.
Israeli forces were also active near the Indonesian Hospital, located on Jabaliya's northern outskirts, where gunfire and artillery were reported. The Health Ministry noted that over 40 patients remained at the facility, while the Israeli military claimed there was no "intentional fire" directed at the hospital.
The ongoing conflict has intensified following the death of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader, in a firefight with Israeli troops. Despite hopes that his death might lead to negotiations to end the year-long conflict, no peace talks appear imminent, and violence has escalated over the weekend.
U.S. officials have indicated intentions to revive stalled negotiations aimed at halting the fighting in exchange for the release of hostages in Gaza. However, Sinwar's deputy has maintained that Hamas will not ease its demands for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza before a cease-fire, with Israel showing no signs of concession.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the killing of Sinwar, labeling him a "terrorist mastermind." In contrast, Iran's supreme leader expressed condolences to Sinwar's supporters and reaffirmed Iran's commitment to supporting Hamas.
The conflict with Hezbollah also intensified, with a drone launched from Lebanon striking a building near Netanyahu's private residence, although neither he nor his wife were present at the time. The Israeli military reported that approximately 180 projectiles were launched from Lebanon, with most intercepted or falling in unpopulated areas. However, one barrage resulted in a fatality and injuries in the cities of Haifa and Acre.
These incidents underscore the challenges Israel faces with its air defense systems, which are effective against rockets and missiles but sometimes struggle with low-flying drones. A senior U.S. official noted that the intensity of Israeli bombing near Beirut increased following the drone attack on Netanyahu's residence, despite U.S. requests to minimize attacks to avoid civilian casualties.
In Lebanon, two individuals were killed in an Israeli drone strike targeting an SUV on a busy highway north of Beirut. The Biden administration has expressed growing concern about the potential for the conflicts to spread throughout the region.
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin criticized the high civilian casualties in Lebanon and urged Israel to reduce strikes, particularly near Beirut, while holding Hezbollah accountable for endangering civilians by hiding weapons among them.
The Israeli military issued an urgent evacuation warning for residents of Haret Hreik, a densely populated area south of Beirut controlled by Hezbollah, prior to conducting airstrikes targeting Hezbollah facilities. Following the warning, at least two airstrikes hit the area, marking the first such attacks since a previous strike in September.
In a statement, the Israeli military confirmed it was targeting Hezbollah weapons storage and intelligence command centers. Netanyahu, in response to the attacks, reaffirmed Israel's commitment to combating Hamas and Hezbollah, referring to them as "Iran's other terrorist proxies," and declared, "We’re going to win this war."