Israel Strikes Targets in Syria, Lebanon as Rockets Continue to Rain Down on Tel Aviv

Israeli warplanes struck targets across Gaza overnight and into Sunday, as well as two airports in Syria and a mosque in the West Bank used by terrorists, as the two-week-old war with Hamas threatened to spiral into a broader conflict.Israel has traded fire with Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon on a near-daily basis since the war began, and tensions are soaring in the West Bank, where Israeli forces have battled terrorists in refugee camps and carried out two airstrikes in recent days.For days, Israel has seemed to be on the verge of launching a ground offensive in Gaza as part of its response to Hamas’ deadly October 7 rampage. Tanks and tens of thousands of troops have massed at the border, and Israeli leaders have spoken of an undefined next stage in operations.Israel repeated its calls for people to leave northern Gaza, including by dropping leaflets from the air. It says an estimated 700,000 have already fled, but hundreds of thousands remain.Israeli military officials say Hamas’ infrastructure and underground tunnel system are concentrated in Gaza City, in the north, and that the next stage of the offensive will include unprecedented force there. Israel says it wants to crush Hamas, but officials have also spoken of carving out a possible buffer zone to keep Palestinians from approaching the border.On Saturday, 20 trucks of aid were allowed to enter Gaza from Egypt through the Rafah crossing, the first time anything has gone into the territory since the war began. Another 17 entered via the same crossing on Sunday, according to reports from the area.Heavy airstrikes were reported across Gaza. Israel’s military has said it is striking Hamas members and installations, but not civilians. The military says it plans to step up airstrikes ahead of the “next stages of the war,” without elaborating.Palestinian militants have fired over 7,000 rockets at Israel, according to the Israeli military, and Hamas says it targeted Tel Aviv early Sunday.More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed in the war — mostly civilians slain during the initial Hamas attack. At least 212 people were captured and dragged back to Gaza, including men, women, children and older adults. Two Americans were released on Friday in what Hamas said was a humanitarian gesture.Syrian state media meanwhile reported that Israeli airstrikes have targeted the international airports in the capital, Damascus, and the northern city of Aleppo. It said the strikes killed one person and damaged the runways, putting them out of service.Israel has carried out several strikes in Syria, including on the airports, since the war began. Israel rarely acknowledges individual strikes, but says it acts to prevent Hezbollah and other terrorist groups from bringing in arms from their patron, Iran, which also supports Hamas.In Lebanon, Hezbollah said six of its fighters were killed Saturday, and the group’s deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Kassem, warned that Israel would pay a high price if it starts a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. Israel struck Hezbollah targets early Sunday in response to rocket fire, the military said.Israel also announced evacuation plans for another 14 communities near the border with Lebanon. Kiryat Shmona, with a population of more than 20,000 people, was told to evacuate last week.In the West Bank, dozens of Palestinians have been killed in clashes with Israeli troops, arrest raids and attacks by Jewish settlers. Israeli forces have closed crossings into the territory and checkpoints between cities, and arrested more than 700 Palestinians since October 7, including 480 suspected Hamas members.

Israel Strikes Targets in Syria, Lebanon as Rockets Continue to Rain Down on Tel Aviv

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