Israel launches renewed offensive on Gaza as Hezbollah appoints new leader

Iran-Israel War: The situation in the West Asia is far from fizzing out with continued airstrikes and bombing by both sides. Israel has escalated airstrikes and waged a bigger ground operation in northern Gaza in recent weeks, saying it is focused on rooting out Hamas militants who have regrouped after more than a year of war.
Israeli military chief Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi warned that if Iran were to launch another missile barrage at Israel, the military would respond “very, very hard.” He stated, “If Iran makes the mistake and launches another barrage, we will know how to reach Iran with capabilities we did not use this time, hitting very, very hard both the capabilities and places we spared.”
Israel has intensified its military operations in southern Lebanon, with recent attacks in Sarafand and Haret Saida resulting in the deaths of 15 individuals, including many women and children.
In a grim tally, at least 143 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza on Tuesday, with a staggering 132 casualties reported from the besieged northern region.
The toll in Gaza continues to rise dramatically, with the death count now surpassing 43,061 since the conflict escalated on October 7, 2023. Additionally, over 101,223 people have been reported injured.
Reports indicate that Israel has suffered significant military losses, with at least 33 Israeli soldiers killed in ongoing fighting in southern Lebanon since the start of the month.
Concerns about not enough aid reaching Gaza were amplified after Israeli lawmakers passed two laws to cut ties with the main UN agency distributing food, water and medicine, and to ban it from Israeli soil. Israel controls access to both Gaza and the occupied West Bank, and it was unclear how the agency known as UNRWA would continue its work in either place.
Since the onset of the conflict, at least 2,787 individuals have died and 12,772 have been injured in Lebanon due to Israeli airstrikes. On Tuesday alone, 77 fatalities were reported across the country.
In a significant development, Hezbollah has appointed Shiite cleric Naim Qassem as its new leader, following the death of his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah, in an Israeli airstrike.
Hezbollah reported three separate rocket attacks targeting Israeli settlements in northern Israel on Tuesday evening, aimed at both civilian areas and Israeli military positions.
Israeli forces have launched a series of military operations in the occupied West Bank, resulting in clashes in various locations, including Hebron and the Balata refugee camp near Nablus.
The United Nations has issued a stark warning regarding Israel’s proposed new laws aimed at severing ties with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that such actions would have “devastating impacts on the humanitarian situation” in the Palestinian territories.