Israel alerts Hezbollah in Lebanon about further strikes it has carried out in Gaza

On Wednesday, as Israel continued its military assault in the heavily populated territory, many Palestinians were seeking shelter after leaving their homes in southern Gaza and complaining of water shortages.

In the midst of intense combat with Palestinian terrorists overnight, Israeli soldiers launched further attacks in the southern city of Rafah, according to locals. According to health officials, fresh strikes in central and northern Gaza claimed the lives of at least 12 individuals.

Following the most recent of many gunfire exchanges over Israel’s northern border with Lebanon since the commencement of the Gaza conflict, tensions also increased between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

A top Hezbollah field commander was killed by an Israeli bombing, according to two security sources in Lebanon, and Israel’s defense minister declared that Israeli forces would be prepared to take all necessary action against the group that is aligned with Iran.

“We’re hitting Hezbollah hard every day, and we’ll be fully prepared to intervene in Lebanon if necessary or to negotiate from a position of strength. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was cited as saying, “We prefer an arrangement, but if reality forces us, we will know how to fight.” The statement was released by his office.

Israeli officials have stated that they are ending the fierce battle against Hamas, the Islamist organization that has controlled Gaza since 2007, and would shortly switch to more focused operations in the almost nine-month-old conflict, yet fighting is still going on in several areas of the territory.

Hassan Hamdan, the head of the plastic surgery and burns department at Nasser Medical Complex, and every member of his family were killed after an Israeli aircraft struck a home in the southern city of Khan Younis, according to the Gaza health ministry.

Following Israeli army evacuation orders that resulted in the displacement of thousands of individuals living east of the city, inhabitants of Khan Younis reported that many families had slept on the road since they could not find tents. This was due to a lack of designated shelters.

Along with patients, the Gaza European Hospital—the last operational hospital in the area—was evacuated. It had been housing displaced people.

“We received instructions to leave the European Hospital. “We arrived at Nasser Hospital, but it was fully occupied,” stated Ali Abu Ismehan, who sustained injuries from Israeli fire, breaking both his legs and his pelvis.

“I am staying in the street, waiting for them to find me a place inside (the hospital),” he stated to Reuters.

Staff and patients had been informed they could remain in the area where the European Gaza Hospital is located, despite evacuation orders having been issued for the region, according to an Israeli defense officer.

Increasing Stress

Three individuals were killed after another Israeli aircraft struck an automobile in the southern city of Deir Al-Balah, according to health officials.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who were forced to evacuate their homes in other parts of Gaza have migrated to Deir Al-Balah, where they complain of severe water shortages and exorbitant costs for essential food items.

“Drinkable, pure water is unavailable. “We are compelled to purchase expensive, contaminated, or salted water,” Shaban, a 47-year-old father of five children, said to Reuters over a messaging app.

He claimed that hepatitis and other illnesses are common among displaced persons, including stomachaches.

According to Israeli estimates, Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7, killing over 1,200 people and seizing about 250 soldiers and civilians. This marked the start of the Gaza War.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israel’s retaliatory offensive to attempt and destroy Hamas has resulted in almost 38,000 deaths and left the densely populated coastal enclave in ruins.

According to two security sources in Lebanon, the top field commander of Hezbollah who was killed on Wednesday was in charge of a portion of the organization’s operations along the border and was outside the city of Tyre in southern Lebanon.

He was identified as Mohammed Nasser by a Hezbollah statement. The Israeli military refrained from commenting right away.

In the West Bank, which is under Israeli occupation, tensions have also increased recently. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, a 23-year-old Palestinian man lost his life in Jenin as a result of an Israeli operation.

Since the start of the Gaza War, there have also been violent occurrences within Israel; on Wednesday, a stabbing attack in a mall in the northern city of Karmiel left one person dead and another injured.

The accused assailant comes from a community where a large number of Israel’s Arab minority residents reside, according to Israel’s nYet news site, and police labeled the incident as a possible terror attack.

No organization took credit for the incident, although Islamic Jihad, a terrorist group based in Palestine, called it a “heroic operation” in a Telegram post.