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Tel Aviv - Israel carried out a series of air strikes in southern Gaza and announced its intention to escalate its military operations in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. This decision comes in the wake of recent attacks on U.S. troops in the region, prompting Washington to commit to reinforcing air defenses in the Middle East.
The Pentagon announced on Saturday that additional US troops had been placed on "prepare to deploy" orders in the region due to recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces across the Middle East region.
The United States will deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and additional Patriot air defense missile system battalions to the Middle East.
In recent weeks, the U.S. has also sent a significant naval presence to the region, including two aircraft carriers, their support ships, and approximately 2,000 Marines.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that these actions were taken following discussions with President Joe Biden regarding recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces across the Middle East region.
In an update just before 07:00 local time (04:00 GMT), the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not provide specific comments on the situation in the West Bank. However, an IDF spokesman warned of the Hezbollah militant group's increasing involvement in the Israel-Lebanon border conflict, describing it as a "very dangerous game." Both Hezbollah and Hamas have been designated as terrorist organizations by the UK, US, and other countries.
Daniel Hagari, another IDF spokesman, stated during a news conference on Saturday that Israel intends to "intensify" and "expand" its airstrikes in Gaza.
Israel has deployed tanks and troops near the fenced border surrounding the narrow coastal enclave, with the intention of executing a planned ground invasion aimed at eliminating Hamas. This decision follows a series of inconclusive wars dating back to Israel's takeover of power in Gaza in 2007.
Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi conveyed the intent to enter the Gaza Strip in a video message distributed by the Israeli military, with the objective of dismantling Hamas operatives and infrastructure. He also emphasized the importance of remembering the events from two weeks ago.
The Israeli army has conducted live fire drills as part of preparations for what it perceives as the next phase of conflict, as shown in footage released on Saturday.
According to Gaza's Health Ministry, the air and missile strikes carried out by Israel in response had resulted in the loss of a significant number of Palestinian lives, with a reported death toll of at least 4,385 individuals, including hundreds of children. Furthermore, these strikes had caused the displacement of more than a million people in the densely populated region, which is home to 2.3 million residents.
Trucks of Egyptian Red Crecent carrying humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip cross the Rafah border gate, in Rafah, Egypt - AP Photo/Mohammed Asad
The UN's humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths, expressed his hope that a second aid convoy will be granted access to the Gaza Strip on Sunday. Griffiths mentioned the possibility of this convoy being slightly larger, potentially consisting of 20 to 30 trucks.
On Saturday, a total of 20 aid trucks were permitted to enter Gaza through the Rafah crossing, although this was considered insufficient by campaigners who described it as a "drop in the ocean" in light of the region's urgent humanitarian needs. These trucks were the first to reach Gaza since Israel imposed a blockade two weeks ago following an attack by Hamas.
Residents in Gaza had already heavily relied on humanitarian aid before Israel's retaliatory air strikes, which were initiated following Hamas's attack on October 7.