GAZA: Israel on Saturday again carried out deadly air strikes on north Gaza, where the UN describes conditions as "apocalyptic", while Lebanon’s Hezbollah intensified rocket fire near Israel’s commercial hub of Tel Aviv on Israel's second front.
Since late September, Israel has been engaged in full-scale war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, with ongoing fighting against Palestinians in Gaza. The conflict risks further escalation as Israel and Iran have attacked each other over recent months. Iran's supreme leader vowed on Saturday a further response to attacks against the republic and its allies.
Since October 6, Israeli forces have launched a major air and ground assault on north Gaza, focusing on the Jabalia area, aiming to prevent Hamas from regrouping. "The situation unfolding in north Gaza is apocalyptic," said a joint statement by UN agency heads. "The area has been under siege for almost a month, denied basic aid and life-saving supplies while bombardment and other attacks continue," added the heads of the humanitarian, health, and other agencies. "The entire Palestinian population in north Gaza faces imminent risk from disease, famine, and violence." Witnesses reported that Israeli warplanes hit Beit Lahia, near Jabalia, twice overnight.
Medics and Gaza's civil defence rescuers reported three fatalities on Saturday following a strike on Nuseirat in central Gaza, a day after images depicted blood-stained shrouds of those killed in an Israeli strike there.
After nearly a year of exchanges on Israel's northern border, Hezbollah escalated its support for Hamas on September 23, prompting Israel to intensify its bombing campaign in Lebanon and deploy ground troops. Hezbollah has since extended its attacks deeper into Israel.
An attack in Israel's Sharon area, north of Tel Aviv, injured 19 people, police said early Saturday, following army reports of three projectiles launched from Lebanon into central Israel. Four of the injured were described as "in moderate condition," police added. Hezbollah announced further rocket attacks on Israel's Glilot intelligence base near Tel Aviv.
On Saturday, the Israeli military reported intercepting three drones over the Red Sea, following the launch of seven drones from "multiple fronts" on Friday. Iraqi groups later claimed responsibility for a drone attack on Eilat, Israel’s southern port town. Israel's ongoing military operations have reportedly resulted in 43,259 fatalities in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to figures from Gaza’s health ministry, which the UN deems reliable. — AFP
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
