As Tel Aviv responds to the deadliest attack on its own turf in over five decades, deadly clashes continue to flare on Israeli territory, with over 710 people reported dead in Hamas strikes and over 400 Gaza citizens killed in Israeli air operations.
Over the weekend, the Jewish state intensified its bombardment of Gaza and declared war as the Palestinian resistance group reported that its soldiers continued to combat Israel.
Israeli residents are the ones who are most affected by the invisible mayhem caused by Hamas members and have suffered significantly. The extremist gang, which eluded Israeli intelligence, also kidnapped a number of people, including families and some army officials.
Nearly a dozen Hamas objectives in multistory structures in Gaza, including the organisation’s industrial facility, arsenal, intelligence centre, and military complex, were allegedly attacked by Israeli forces.
A cease-fire in the Israel-Palestine conflict was demanded by Pakistan and other countries. The only real answer, according to Turkey, is a two-state solution, but it added that it will endeavour to take the lead in peace diplomacy.
Iran and other nations have been warned to stay out of the situation by US President Joe Biden, who stated, “This is not the time for any party hostile to Israel to take advantage of these attacks.” Ebrahim Raisi, the president of Iran, called the Hamas leadership to congratulate him on the victory.
As a “show of support,” the US will move armed ships and aircraft closer to Israel.
As a show of support, the United States declared it would dispatch numerous military ships and aircraft closer to Israel. Lloyd Austin, the US Defence Secretary, made the declaration. According to him, Washington thinks the most recent Hamas assault may have been initiated to sabotage any future normalisation of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
On Saturday, Israeli communities became the scene of the bloodiest day in decades as Hamas fighters rampaged over the country. On Sunday, Israel bombarded Gaza with air strikes, killing hundreds of people on both sides, according to reports. A significant new war in the Middle East could break out as a result of the spiralling bloodshed.
Austin stated that the US would give Israel ammunition and that its security assistance would start on Sunday. According to him, the Pentagon would also send fighter jets to the area.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was informed by US President Joe Biden earlier on Sunday that more support for the Israeli Defence Forces was on the way and would arrive in the coming days. The White House published a statement in this regard following the phone call between the two presidents.
Austin claimed that he gave the order to move a carrier strike group, which consists of the Ford carrier and supporting ships, closer to Israel. “I have directed the movement of the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to the Eastern Mediterranean,” according to his statement.
The dawn of Saturday saw the largest and deadliest incursion into Israel since Egypt and Syria launched a surprise onslaught to retake territory lost in the Yom Kippur War fifty years ago.
Hezbollah targets Shebaa Farms before Israel launches an attack on southern Lebanon.
Israel launched artillery barrages into southern Lebanon on Sunday after Hezbollah attacked three Israeli military positions in the contested Shebaa Farms, although there were no early reports of injuries.
At least 250 Israelis were killed in the deadliest attack on Israeli cities in years on Saturday, and 230 more Gazans perished in Israel’s retaliatory bombardment.
An effective armed group supported by Iran, Hezbollah, claimed responsibility for firing artillery and guided rockets at three Shebaa Farms checkpoints “in solidarity” with the Palestinian people.
The Israeli military claimed on Sunday that it had deployed artillery into a region of Lebanon where mortars had been fired over the border. “IDF (Israel Defence Forces) artillery is currently striking the area in Lebanon from where a shooting was carried out,” it declared.
A Hezbollah position was reportedly hit by an Israeli drone in the Shebaa neighbourhood of Har Dov, according to the Israeli military.
a According to IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari in broadcast remarks, “At this time, there is no further threat in Har Dov or the northern arena,” adding that the military was still on high alert.
Since 1967, Israel has controlled the Shebaa Farms, a 15-square-mile (39-square-kilometer) area of land. The Shebaa Farms are said to be Lebanese in both Syria and Lebanon.
UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, reported that it had “detected several rockets fired from southeast Lebanon towards Israeli-occupied territory” in addition to artillery fire into Lebanon from Israel in retaliation.
In order to control the situation and prevent a more serious escalation, spokesman Andrea Tenenti said that “we are in contact with authorities on both sides of the Blue Line, at all levels.”
The Blue Line, which separates Lebanon and Israel, delineates the area from which Israeli forces withdrew in south Lebanon in 2000.
Following the events in Israel and Gaza, UNIFIL announced on Saturday that it had increased its presence in southern Lebanon, including its efforts to thwart missile launches.
Joanna Wronecka, the UN’s special coordinator for Lebanon, posted on platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that the exchange of gunfire had her “deeply concerned” and pleaded with all sides to “shield Lebanon and its people from further conflagration.”
Hezbollah, which effectively governs southern Lebanon, claimed on Saturday that it was in “direct contact” with the heads of Palestinian “resistance” organisations and that it saw Palestinian attacks on Israel as a “decisive response to Israel’s continued occupation and a message to those seeking normalisation with Israel.”
