Netanyahu Orders 70% Gaza Control Amid Intensified Lebanon Attacks

Tel Aviv – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the military to take control of 70% of the Gaza Strip, a significant escalation that overrides the current ceasefire terms with Hamas. Netanyahu stated that Israeli troops already control 60% of the territory and that the "enemy" is cornered.

Speaking in the occupied West Bank, Netanyahu asserted his determination to advance into the Palestinian enclave. He claimed that Israeli military presence had steadily increased since the truce began, at which point they occupied only half the land. This new directive to expand control to 70% signals Israel's disregard for previous peace commitments in pursuit of a definitive victory over Hamas.

The expansion in Gaza coincides with a violent military escalation in Lebanon. Hours before the Gaza announcements, Israeli aircraft bombed cities in southern Lebanon, including Sidon and Tyre, resulting in at least 14 deaths and dozens of injuries. Residential areas were hit, killing women, children, and a Lebanese army soldier. In Sidon, a missile struck a building housing displaced families.

Among the casualties was Hossan Zeidan, a former correspondent for Iranian television. The attacks also hit civilians in vehicles and a family near Adloun. The conflict on the northern front is intensifying, with Hezbollah deploying explosive drones, some of which reached northern Israel. In response, Netanyahu has widened the attacks, striking areas near Beirut's international airport. Hezbollah's elite Radwan force has also sustained military casualties.

The humanitarian crisis in the region has become critical. In Lebanon, official figures report over 3,260 deaths and nearly 10,000 injuries. More than a million residents have been forcibly displaced since the hostilities began.

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The enemy is cornered.