Israel resumed heavy military assaults on the Hamas terrorist infrastructure in the Gaza Strip overnight, dubbing the campaign “Operation Strength and Sword.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement laying the onus for this situation entirely on Hamas:
“This follows Hamas’s repeated refusal to release our hostages, as well as its rejection of all of the proposals it has received from US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and from the mediators.
“Israeli forces are attacking targets of the Hamas terrorist organization throughout the Gaza Strip in order to achieve the objectives of the war as they have been determined by the political echelon including the release of all of our hostages, the living and the deceased.
“Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt noted that this is precisely what America and Israel have been warning of for weeks, so no one should act surprised. She also cautioned Iran and all enemies of Israel to take very seriously the threats issued by President Donald Trump.
Earlier in the week, top US officials blamed Hamas alone for making the hostage-ceasefire negotiations all but impossible.
See: Trump admin say Hamas making negotiations impossible
Arab media reported at least 300 people dead or missing, including a number of senior Hamas officials.
IDF Spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee issued an urgent warning Tuesday to residents of Gaza, urging those in specific areas to evacuate immediately as Israeli forces intensified their operations.
In a statement posted on X, Adraee identified Beit Hanoun, Khirbet Khaza’a, and Abasan al-Kabira and al-Jadida as dangerous combat zones. He called on civilians to relocate to designated shelters in western Gaza City and Khan Yunis for their safety, stressing that remaining in these areas would put their lives at risk.
IDF Home Front Command on Tuesday instructed municipalities near the Gaza border to close schools until further notice.
“Following a situation assessment, it was decided that the Gaza envelope will move from a full activity level to a reduced activity level, which does not allow for educational activities,” according to the statement.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon stated on Monday night in New York that the UN Security Council would convene on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Gaza.
“It is time for the countries of the world to take seriously our unwavering commitment to bring back all our hostages home and defeat the enemy,” the Israeli envoy stated. “Nothing will stop us from fighting to free our hostages, who have been held in brutal Hamas captivity for 527 days. We will show no mercy against our enemies while our hostages languish in Hamas terror tunnels.”
Israeli media is swirling with reports that the IDF had learned of Hamas plans to launch another major cross-border assault on Israel in the near future. The army reportedly kept this knowledge secret in order to surprise Hamas with its sudden resumption of combat.
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