Israel bombards Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday evening that he instructed the army to undertake “powerful action against Hamas ʹ the Palestinian group declared terrorist organisation by the United States and the European Union because this Iranian-backed group refused to release the remaining hostages and turned down proposals for a new ceasefire.

“Israel, from this moment on, will act with military force against Hamas”, Netanyah's office said in a communique.

At the same time, the Israeli Army said it has carried out air strikes in southern Lebanon and southern Syria as well.

Initial data by Palestinian authorities in Gaza shows that at least 80 people have been killed and dozens more have been injured by Israeli attacks, but the number of victims is likely to increase. These data could not be independently confirmed.

The Israeli Army said the attacks on Gaza targeted leaders and commanders of the middle-level Hamas, as well as the group's infrastructure.

She declared she is willing to continue the attacks against Hamas as long as necessary.

The White House was consulted by Israel for the recent Gaza attacks, White House spokeswoman for Fox News said.

[Donald] Trump Hamas, Huth [in Yemen], Iran, all who aim to terrorise not only Israel, but also the United States of America will face consequences. Hell will explode”, White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavet said.

On March 5th, Trump warned Hamas that he would face <x0fer” if he does not immediately release all hostages, following confirmation from the White House that he had held secret talks with the extremist group.

Reuters news agency quoted a senior Hamas official as saying Israel is ending the Gaza ceasefire agreement unilaterally “and that it puts the fate of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.

Israel and Hamas have disagreements about the continuing three-stage ceasefire, which began on January 19th, including the exchange of hostages held by Hamas with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.

The majority of Hamas leaders were killed during Israel's revenge war in Gaza, following the extreme group's bloody attack on Israel on October 7, 1923, reports Radio Free Europe.

Hamas - led militants attacked Israel's southern settlements in October 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and kidnapping another 251. About dozens of hostages still remain in Hamas' hands.

Israel retaliated by launching a devastating war in the Palestinian enclave, which has killed tens of thousands of people, according to local authorities, and has displaced most of Gaza's 2.3 million inhabitants.

Following the ceasefire agreement, which led to the release of a number of hostages and prisoners, Israeli armies have often carried out attacks against Hamas as well as Hezbollah's whereabouts in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah is also declared a terrorist organisation by the United States, although the European Union names only its armed arm as a terrorist group, broadcasts Periscope.

Most Hezbollah leaders were killed during Israel's 14-month war against the group, ahead of a US-brokered ceasefire in November.

In the new attacks, Israel said it hit two Hezbollah leaders in the southern Lebanese town of Yohmor. The army said the men were <x0 mneerative surveillance”.

She added that further attacks were carried out on Hezbollah objects in Lebanon.

In Syria, Israel has taken control of a security zone in the south following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's brutal autocratic regime in December. Israel names this move a preventive measure against former Islamic rebels who ousted Assad and now control Syria.

On March 17th, Syrian authorities said Israeli attacks hit a residential area in the southern city of Dara, killing three people. This report could not be verified.
Israel said the target of the attacks was military command centres and weapons depots in southern Syria, belonging to Assad's forces and posing a threat to Israel.

Assad left Syria in December and reportedly is located in Russia, which, along with Iran, was one of the main supporters of his regime. Assad took power in 2000 following his father's death, Hafez al-Assad.