Israeli Officials Say War Expanding in Central and Southern Gaza; IDF Claims Close to Dismantling Hamas in Northern Gaza; War to Continue for Months

Accident – death – Obituary News : Israeli officials announced on Tuesday that the war in Gaza is expanding in central and southern regions. Herzi Halevi, the Israel Defense Forces chief, claimed that the military was close to dismantling Hamas in northern Gaza, but added that the war would continue for many more months. The United Nations reported that tens of thousands of Palestinian residents have been ordered to flee to Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, further displacing the 61,000 people who have already been forced to leave their homes in northern Gaza. Heavy Israeli shelling in Khan Younis continued on Wednesday, following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement that the IDF was deepening operations in southern Gaza.

According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, the death toll in Gaza since Israel launched its assault after Hamas’ attack on southern Israel on October 7 has reached 20,915, with 54,918 wounded. In a post on X on Tuesday, the US Army’s Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that US carriers had shot down twelve one-way attack drones, three anti-ship ballistic missiles, and two land attack cruise missiles in the Southern Red Sea. These were fired by the Houthis over a 10-hour period on December 26.

Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a close aide to Netanyahu, met with White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in Washington to discuss post-war security and governance plans for the Gaza Strip. This meeting comes as international pressure grows to improve the dire humanitarian situation in the enclave. Additionally, the Pentagon announced that US forces had attacked the Iran-backed faction Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq, following a series of attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria.

In other developments, a senior commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was killed in an Israeli strike in Syria on Monday. Sayyed Razi Mousavi, described as one of the IRGC’s senior commanders in Syria, was killed in the Damascus suburb of Zeinab. Hezbollah and Iran have condemned the attack, with Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi vowing that Israel will pay for the crime.

In further news, Israel’s strategic affairs minister, Ron Dermer, met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in Washington. They discussed planning for the day after the Israel-Hamas war, including governance and security in the Gaza Strip. They also focused on efforts to bring home hostages held in the Gaza Strip and transition to the third phase of the war, which will target high-value Hamas targets.

In southern Lebanon, three people were killed in overnight Israeli strikes that hit a residential building in the town of Bint Jbeil. The victims were all from a single family. The Israel-Lebanon border has seen heavy fire exchanges between the Israeli army and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group since October 7.

Three Israeli soldiers were killed overnight in battles in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, bringing the Israeli death toll in the ground operation to 164. Iran-backed militants launched rockets at US targets in Syria, but no casualties were reported. Israel’s army chief stated that the war in Gaza will continue for many more months as the military expands operations in central and southern Gaza.

Explosions were reported in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen after sightings of unmanned aircraft and missiles. A drone was shot down off the coast of Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Dahab. Israeli artillery shelling struck the headquarters of the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Khan Younis, causing several injuries. In the West Bank, Israeli forces arrested senior Palestinian politician Khalida Jarrar and several other members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Overall, the situation in Gaza and the surrounding region remains tense, with ongoing military operations, airstrikes, and clashes between various factions. The international community continues to call for a resolution to the conflict and increased efforts to address the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza..