Israel Hamas War Day 8 recap as IDF commits war crimes in Gaza

Lebanese Border Sees Cross-Border Attacks as Tensions Soar: One Israeli Fatality, Artillery Strikes, and Evacuation of Palestinians

On Sunday, five anti-tank missiles were launched from Lebanon towards Israeli forces, resulting in one Israeli casualty. In retaliation, Israel responded with artillery strikes, further escalating tensions along the Lebanon border.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) subsequently declared a 4-kilometer buffer zone along the border, strictly prohibiting civilian access.

Simultaneously, sirens warning of rockets from Gaza rang out in Tel Aviv, central Israel, and near Gaza’s border communities. Gaza’s health ministry reported over 2,300 Palestinians killed and 9,000 wounded, with the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip deteriorating rapidly.

The IDF claimed that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians had moved south from Gaza City, with Hamas attempting to impede their movement.

Egypt intensified efforts with international and regional partners to deliver aid to Gaza, while Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned of a potential escalation if Israel’s aggression persisted.

In the West Bank, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported the death of a 17-year-old due to IDF fire, bringing the total Palestinian casualties in the West Bank to 56 since the conflict began.

The U.S. planned to deploy a second aircraft carrier strike group near Israel, increasing its military presence in the area, and would assist in the emergency departure of U.S. citizens from Israel.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was set to return to Israel on Monday after diplomatic efforts across the Middle East. In Riyadh, Blinken described his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as “very productive.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog met with a bipartisan delegation of U.S. senators led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

The Israeli military and Shin Bet announced the killing of a Hamas commander responsible for the massacres in Nirim and Nir Oz.

Joshua Zarka, head of strategic affairs for the Israeli Foreign Ministry, accused Iran of attempting to open a second war front by deploying weapons in or through Syria.

The Élysée Palace in France issued a warning to Hezbollah, cautioning against interference in the Israel-Hamas conflict. It urged restraint, emphasizing that opening a second front could have dire consequences for Lebanon.