At least nine Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes that hit two homes in the northern Gaza towns of Jabaliya and Beit Lahiya, as well as Rafah in the south, Wafa news agency reported. Local witnesses said a bombing destroyed a home belonging to the Al-Najjar family in Jabaliya, killing three people and wounding others. A second airstrike hit a home in Beit Lahiya, killing five people and leaving several wounded. In Rafah, one Palestinian was killed and two others were wounded by an Israeli drone, contributing to a further escalation of violence in the area.

The Israeli military has sealed off Jabaliya from Gaza City in a weeks-long operation, taking control of the area and allowing civilians to leave through corridors monitored with facial recognition technology to prevent suspected terrorists from escaping. So far, some 600 suspected Hamas members have been captured and interrogated by Israeli forces.

In another development, the IDF has called on civilians near four buildings in Baalbek, Lebanon, to evacuate in anticipation of attacks on Hezbollah. The IDF spokesperson has released maps warning people to stay at least 500 meters away from the planned targets. Meanwhile, the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards has said that Iran firmly supports the resistance movement in the region against Israel and the United States.

The Israeli army reported that about ten rockets were fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel; some were intercepted while others fell in open areas. At least three people were killed in Jabaliya as a result of Israeli shelling.

In addition, the IDF announced the elimination of two Hezbollah commanders in Lebanon, responsible for attacks against Israel. The executive director of UNICEF condemned the air strikes in northern Gaza, noting that more than 50 children have been killed in recent days.

A UNICEF vehicle was hit by a drone in Jabalia, but fortunately no one was injured. The management of the humanitarian organization denounced the serious consequences of indiscriminate attacks on civilians and humanitarian workers. Finally, the United States has deployed B-52 bombers in the Middle East to respond to the Iranian threat and defend its interests in the region.