DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — An Israeli strike on a mosque within the Gaza Strip early Sunday killed a minimum of 19 individuals, Palestinian officers mentioned, as Israel intensified its bombardment of northern Gaza and southern Beirut in its widening battle on Iran-allied militant teams throughout the area.
Israel remains to be battling Hamas in Gaza practically a 12 months after its Oct. 7 assault, and has opened a brand new entrance towards Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has been buying and selling hearth with Israel alongside the border because the battle in Gaza started. Israel has additionally vowed to strike Iran itself after it launched a ballistic missile assault on the nation final week.
The widening battle dangers drawing in america, which has offered essential army and diplomatic help to Israel, in addition to U.S.-allied Arab international locations that host American forces. Iran-allied militant teams in Syria, Iraq and Yemen have additionally joined in with long-distance strikes on Israel.
The strike in Gaza hit a mosque the place displaced individuals had been sheltering close to the primary hospital within the central city of Deir al-Balah. Israel mentioned it focused a Hamas command and management middle embedded amongst civilians, with out offering proof.
An Related Press journalist counted the our bodies on the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital morgue. Hospital data confirmed that the lifeless had been all males, whereas one other man was wounded.
The army in the meantime introduced a brand new air and floor offensive in Jabaliya, in northern Gaza, house to a densely populated refugee camp courting again to the 1948 battle surrounding Israel’s creation. It circulated images and video footage displaying a column of tanks heading towards the realm.
The army mentioned its forces had encircled Jabaliya as warplanes struck militant sides forward of their advance. Over the course of the battle, Israel has carried out a number of giant operations there, solely to see militants regroup.
Israel additionally ordered new evacuations in northern Gaza, which largely emptied out within the early weeks of the battle when Israel ordered its whole inhabitants to flee south. As much as 300,000 individuals are estimated to have remained there regardless of harsh situations and heavy destruction.
“We’re in a brand new part of the battle,” the army mentioned in leaflets dropped over the realm. “These areas are thought of harmful fight zones.”
Avichay Adraee, a spokesman for the Israeli army, mentioned it has expanded the so-called humanitarian zone in southern Gaza, urging individuals to move there. The zone contains sprawling tent camps the place a whole lot of 1000’s of individuals have already sought refuge, and Israel has carried out strikes inside it towards what it says are fighters sheltering amongst civilians.
Palestinian residents reported heavy Israeli strikes throughout northern Gaza. The Civil Protection, first responders who function underneath the Hamas-run authorities, mentioned a number of houses and buildings had been hit they usually weren’t in a position to attain them due to the bombardment.
Many posted in regards to the airstrikes and mourned their kinfolk on social media. Imad Alarabid mentioned in a Fb submit that an airstrike on his house in Jabaliya killed a dozen of his members of the family, together with his dad and mom.
Native journalists mentioned considered one of their colleagues, Hassan Hamd, was killed in artillery shelling on his house in Jabaliya. He had labored as a contract TV reporter and his footage had aired on Al Jazeera and different networks. Anas al-Sharif, an Al Jazeera reporter in northern Gaza, confirmed his dying.
The most recent strikes add to the mounting Palestinian dying toll in Gaza, which is nearing 42,000, in response to the Palestinian Well being Ministry. The ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilian and militant deaths, however lots of the lifeless had been ladies and youngsters.
Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 individuals within the Oct. 7 assault and took one other 250 hostage. They’re nonetheless holding round 100 captives, a 3rd of whom are believed to be lifeless.
In Beirut, airstrikes lit up the skyline and loud explosions echoed throughout the southern suburbs, often known as the Dahiyeh, all through the night time, as Israel struck what it mentioned had been Hezbollah militants websites. The strikes reportedly focused a constructing close to a highway resulting in Lebanon’s solely worldwide airport and one other previously utilized by the Hezbollah-run broadcaster Al-Manar.
Israel’s army confirmed it was placing targets close to Beirut and mentioned about 30 projectiles had crossed from Lebanon into Israeli territory, with some intercepted.
Hezbollah mentioned it efficiently focused a bunch of Israeli troopers in northern Israel “with a big rocket salvo, hitting them precisely.” It was not potential to verify the declare.
At the very least 1,400 Lebanese, together with civilians, medics and Hezbollah fighters, have been killed and 1.2 million pushed from their houses in lower than two weeks. Israel says it goals to drive the militant group away from its border in order that tens of 1000’s of Israeli residents can return to their houses.
Iranian-backed Hezbollah, the strongest armed power in Lebanon, started firing rockets into Israel virtually instantly after Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault, calling it a present of help for the Palestinians. Hezbollah and Israel’s army have traded hearth virtually day by day.
Final week, Israel launched what it mentioned was a restricted floor operation into southern Lebanon after a sequence of assaults killed longtime Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and most of his high command. The preventing is the worst since Israel and Hezbollah fought a monthlong battle in 2006. 9 Israeli troopers have been killed in floor clashes that Israel says have killed 440 Hezbollah fighters.
It isn’t potential to confirm battlefield experiences from both facet.
Iran’s international minister, Abbas Araghchi, instructed reporters in Damascus that “we are attempting to succeed in a cease-fire in Gaza and in Lebanon.” The minister mentioned Center Jap and different international locations had put ahead initiatives, with out elaborating.
Araghchi spoke a day after the supreme chief of Iran praised its latest missile strikes on Israel and mentioned it was able to do it once more if needed.
On Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned “Israel has the obligation and the precise to defend itself and reply to those assaults, and it’ll accomplish that.” On Lebanon, he mentioned ”we’re not accomplished but.”
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Magdy reported from Cairo.
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Comply with AP’s battle protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
