Israel expands Gaza ground invasion in Rafah, strikes Lebanon

The New Arab's live blog on Israel's attacks on Gaza, Lebanon and other regional developments has now ended, and will resume at 0900 GMT.

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Yemen's official Saba news agency said that US forces bombed the districts of Sahar and Kitaf in the northern province of Saada and carried out five air attacks on the central province of Marib.

Earlier, three US raids were carried on the airport of Hodeidah, as well as the port of as-Salif.

Israeli forces have killed at least four Palestinians in Khan Younis after striking the Abu Daqqa family home in the Al-Fakhari area, Al Jazeera Arabic is reporting.

Israeli forces also attacked al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis, and shelled an area near the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza.

An Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza's Khan Younis killed Hamas political leader Salah al-Bardaweel, Hamas and Palestinian media reported in the early hours of Sunday.

Hamas-affiliated media said the airstrike killed Bardaweel, who is a member of the group's political office, and also killed his wife.

Israel resumed significant strikes on Gaza on Tuesday, blaming Hamas, abandoning a ceasefire agreement that began on January 19 and ending almost two months of claim.

The death toll in Lebanon has risen to seven, following a series of attacks across the country on Saturday.

The victims include five from Touline, one in Tyre and one in Qlaileh.

The Israeli strikes also injured 40 people, according to the ministry.

Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 32 people since dawn on Saturday, medical sources have told Al Jazeera Arabic.

Israel will keep striking Hamas targets in Gaza to ensure the return of hostages, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday, as European countries called for a ceasefire and access for aid supplies.

Ophir Falk, Netanyahu's foreign policy adviser, said military pressure pushed Hamas to accept the first truce in November 2023, in which some 80 hostages were returned. He said this was also the surest way to force release of the remaining 59 hostages.

"The only reason they went back to the negotiating table was military pressure, and that's what we're doing right now," he told reporters.

Falk declined to give details of negotiations to restore the ceasefire. But he said Israel had accepted proposals from US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff for an extended truce until after Ramadan and the Jewish Passover holiday next month.

Hamas has accused Israel of breaking the terms of the January ceasefire agreement by refusing to begin negotiations for a final end to the war and a withdrawal of its troops from Gaza but has said it is still willing to negotiate and was studying Witkoff's "bridging" proposals.

"I can't get into the details of the negotiations. What I can say is that we're going to achieve all our war objectives."

Houthi rebel media in Yemen accused the United States Saturday of striking the airport in Hodeida, the latest such claim since Washington announced heavy strikes against the rebels one week ago.

Al-Masirah TV, blaming "American aggression", said three attacks had targeted the airport in Hodeida on the Red Sea coast.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement called on its Islamist rivals Hamas on Saturday to relinquish power in order to safeguard the "existence" of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

"Hamas must show compassion for Gaza, its children, women and men," Fatah spokesman Monther al-Hayek said in a message sent to AFP from Gaza.

He called on Hamas to "step aside from governing and fully recognise that the battle ahead will lead to the end of Palestinians' existence" if it remains in power in Gaza.

Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007 from the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority, and subsequent attempts at reconciliation have failed.

The territory has been devastated by an Israeli military onslaught n retaliation for the attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

Hamas has said repeatedly it is willing to leave power in Gaza once the war is over but categorically excludes giving up its weapons.

Israel's opposition leader on Saturday called for a general strike if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refuses to abide by the Supreme Court's decision freezing its dismissal of the internal security chief.

If the government "decides to disobey the Court's decision it will become a government outside of the law," Yair Lapid told thousands of demonstrators in Tel Aviv. "If that happens, the entire country should stop."

Lebanon’s Health Ministry says Israel's attack killed on Tyre has killed at least one person and injured seven others.

Another Israeli attack in Qlaileh, southeast of Tyre, also wounded four people, according to the ministry.

The US embassy in Israel on Saturday warned Americans there to avoid large gatherings and be prepared to seek shelter following an escalation of conflict in the country.

"The security environment is complex and can change quickly," the embassy said in an alert posted on its website. "Be aware of your surroundings."

The warning came as the Israeli army said it was attacking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in a second wave of strikes, after intercepting rockets fired from across the border earlier in the day.

Israel has also seen a series of large protests in recent days over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's efforts to dismiss the head of the Shin Bet domestic intelligence service. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered "a second wave of strikes against dozens of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon" late on Saturday, the defence ministry said.

Israel has already struck the southern city of Tyre. Lebanese media Qusayr, Kfarmilki and Adsheet amongst other areas in south Lebanon. Israeli warplanes attacked forested areas between the villages of Roumine, Deir al-Zahrani, and Houmine al-Fawqa, in the Nabatieh district, L'Orient Today said.

An attack was also reported near Nabi Chit in the Bekaa Valey near the Syrian border.

BREAKING: Israeli warplanes launch airstrikes targeting the city of Tyre and other areas in southern Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/aUMuVIKgL9

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) March 22, 2025

Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has condemned Israel’s killing of a Palestinian worker affiliated with the group in Gaza amid the organisation’s ongoing condemnation of Israel’s renewed bombing campaign, which has significantly raised the enclave’s casualty toll.

MSF issued a statement on Friday, announcing the death of 29-year-old Alaa Abd-Elsalam Ali Okal, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on his apartment building in central Gaza’s Deir Al Balah.

The group stated that Okal’s death marks the tenth MSF colleague killed by Israel’s brutal assault on the war-ravaged territory.

Read the full story here

At least four people were killed and others wounded after an Israeli army drone targeted a group in the Tal as-Sultan area of southern Gaza’s largest city, Wafa news agency reports.

We are alarmed by reports of escalation across the Israel-Lebanon border.

We strongly urge all parties to exercise restraint. We must ensure this ceasefire agreement opens a pathway to a lasting peace.

— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) March 22, 2025

The Eagles of the Whirlwind, the armed wing of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP), has denied involvement in the recent rocket attack on northern Israel. 

In a statement, the Hezbollah-allied group reaffirmed its support for “the role of the state, government, and army in addressing Israeli aggressions against Lebanon.” 

As previously reported, Israel launched artillery and air strikes on southern Lebanon after intercepting three rockets fired from a district approximately 6km (4 miles) north of the border. Hezbollah has also denied responsibility for the attack.

Lebanon’s Defence Minister Michel Menassa has called on ceasefire sponsors to restrain Israel from what he described as ongoing violations and aggression under "flimsy and false pretexts." 

Menassa confirmed that the Lebanese army has launched an investigation into the recent rocket fire toward Israel, reiterating Lebanon’s rejection of a return to pre-ceasefire hostilities from November 2024. He emphasized the government's commitment to maintaining security, particularly along the country’s southern and eastern borders. 

Urging vigilance, Menassa warned against Israeli efforts to create divisions between the Lebanese people and their military. "The enemy continues its tactics of intimidation and deception," he said, as quoted by local outlet MTV Lebanon.

Andrea Tenenti, the spokesperson for the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), has warned that the situation remains "very concerning".

"We have been urging the parties to use maximum restraint," he said, adding there have been intense negotiations involving several stakeholders "to prevent any escalation of the conflict and of the tension – something that no one wants to see after 16 months of conflict in this region".

Tenenti added: "So there is a huge effort from everyone at the moment to try to deescalate the tension that we’re seeing in recent hours."

Israel conducted deadly strikes on Lebanon Saturday in response to a rocket attack from across the border, as militant group Hezbollah denied responsibility for the launch.

Lebanon's official National News Agency reported one girl among two killed in an Israeli strike on the southern town of Touline, amid the largest escalation of attacks since a November 27 ceasefire.

The Israeli army had said earlier Saturday that three rockets, all of which were intercepted, were fired from Lebanon into northern Israel, setting off air raid sirens in the region for the first time since November.

"Hezbollah denies any involvement in the rocket fire from southern Lebanon into the occupied Palestinian territories (Israel)," the Iran-backed group said in a statement, calling Israel's accusations "pretexts for its continued attacks on Lebanon".

Hamas on Saturday accused the United States of distorting the truth by saying the Palestinian militant group had chosen war with Israel by refusing to release hostages.

"The claim that 'Hamas chose war instead of releasing the hostages' is a distortion of the facts," Hamas said in a statement in response to the accusation from US National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes on Tuesday.

He had said: "Hamas could have released hostages to extend the ceasefire but instead chose refusal and war."

Read the full story here 

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah movement called on its Islamist rivals Hamas Saturday to relinquish power in order to safeguard the "existence" of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

"Hamas must show compassion for Gaza, its children, women and men," Fatah spokesman Monther al-Hayek said in a message sent to AFP from Gaza. He called on Hamas to "step aside from governing and fully recognise that the battle ahead will lead to the end of Palestinians' existence" if it remains in power in Gaza.

Hezbollah has officially denied any connection to the rocket attack on northern Israel launched from southern Lebanon earlier today. The Lebanese group issued a statement rejecting Israel’s accusations that it was behind the assault, following Israeli artillery and airstrikes in retaliation. 

Israel claimed it had targeted rocket launchers it attributes to Hezbollah, which it holds responsible for the attack. 

In its response, Hezbollah accused Israel of using the attack as a pretext to escalate its military operations in southern Lebanon, including air raids and artillery strikes. The group reiterated its commitment to the ceasefire agreement signed in November, despite ongoing Israeli violations of the truce.

The Israeli military said it struck dozens of rocket launchers in Lebanon in response to cross-border rocket fire on Saturday.

"A short while ago, the army struck dozens of Hezbollah rocket launchers and a command centre from which Hezbollah terrorists were operating in southern Lebanon," it said in a statement.

Israeli airstrikes have targeted several villages in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency. 

An attack in the village of Touline resulted in one fatality and three injuries. The situation remains ongoing, and further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

Israeli drone and artillery strikes have killed at least three people and injured several others in northern Gaza.

The drone strike targeted a tent camp for displaced individuals in an undisclosed area, resulting in two fatalities, while artillery fire in Beit Lahia killed another Palestinian.

President Joseph Aoun has strongly condemned efforts to destabilise Lebanon and reignite violence, as stated by his office.

"The events unfolding in the south, continuing since February 18, represent a relentless assault on Lebanon and a setback to the national rescue plan that all Lebanese have agreed upon," the presidency quoted him in a post on X.

Aoun called on all relevant forces in southern Lebanon to closely monitor the situation and take the necessary steps to prevent further escalation.

Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu has ordered airstrikes targeting numerous "terrorist" sites in southern Lebanon in retaliation for rocket fire aimed at northern Israel.

Military spokesperson Avichay Adraee confirmed the ongoing operation, claiming: "The army is currently attacking Hezbollah terrorist targets in southern Lebanon. To be continued."

Five rockets were launched towards northern Israel, but no group has claimed responsibility, and there have been no reported casualties or damage. Israel’s military has vowed a "severe response" to the attack.

At least 130 Palestinians were killed and 263 wounded in the past 48 hours of Israel's offensive on Gaza, the Palestinian enclave's health ministry said on Saturday.

At least two Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli airstrike on the al-Mughraqa area in central Gaza, according to reports from Al Jazeera Arabic.

Since Israel resumed its intense bombardment of the besieged Gaza Strip on Tuesday, the death toll has surged past 500, with approximately 200 of the victims being children. 

Thailand has said it is "disappointed" by the return to hostilities in Gaza and called for the release of hostages, including a Thai national.

Israel on Tuesday began a fresh assault on the war-battered enclave, shattering the relative calm since a January 19 ceasefire.

The strikes, by far the deadliest since the truce took effect in January, have killed more than 500 people, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.

"Thailand is profoundly concerned about and disappointed at the return to hostilities in the Gaza Strip," said a Thai foreign ministry statement released on Friday.

Israeli forces have launched fresh attacks on Gaza, shelling northern areas of the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, according to local sources cited by Al Jazeera Arabic.  

A military helicopter has reportedly opened fire east of Gaza City, the Palestinian Information Centre said. No casualties have been reported so far. 

Hamas is still considering a US-backed truce proposal aimed at reviving the Gaza ceasefire, even as Israeli forces intensify their ground offensive on the besieged enclave, an unnamed official from the Palestinian group told Reuters.  

The proposal, introduced by US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, seeks to extend the ceasefire into April, providing time for further negotiations on a lasting cessation of hostilities.  

Egypt has reportedly put forward a similar bridging plan, but Hamas has yet to respond. The Palestinian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not disclose further details.  

Cross-border tensions have flared once again as multiple rockets were fired from Lebanon into northern Israel, prompting retaliatory shelling by Israeli forces.  

Israel’s Army Radio reported that at least five rockets were launched from Lebanon on Friday, three of which were intercepted, while two landed inside Lebanese territory. Earlier, the Israeli military had confirmed the interception of three rockets.  

Israel has demolished Gaza’s only specialised cancer hospital, the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, as part of its ongoing effort to expand the so-called Netzarim Corridor, a militarised buffer zone cutting through the enclave.  

The destruction of the hospital has resulted in at least five children killed. Since the start of its assault, Israel has widened the corridor from 500 metres (1,640 feet) to eight kilometres (five miles), displacing more Palestinians in the process.