(Bloomberg) — Hamas fired a barrage of rockets toward Tel Aviv after Israel bombed a number of targets connected to the militant group in Gaza, as fighting escalated after a year of war.
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The Israel Defense Forces said five projectiles were launched from the Palestinian territory on Monday and sirens sounded across central Israel, with Haaretz reporting two people injured. The military had earlier looked to prevent what it called an “immediate” threat of rocket fire from the Iran-backed organization to mark its attack on the country 12 months ago.
The exchange of fire, alongside Israel’s decision to send troops back into parts of northern Gaza over the weekend, underlined the danger Benjamin Netanyahu’s government still sees from Hamas. That’s despite the militant group suffering huge losses since the war erupted, with Israeli officials estimating around half its roughly 35,000 fighters are dead.
In addition to Gaza, Israel is waging a ground and air offensive across its northern border in Lebanon to combat Hezbollah, another Iran-supported group. The IDF said Monday it deployed a third division to the south of the country, while maintaining airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs.
More than 1,500 people have been killed in Lebanon by Israel’s bombings in recent weeks and around one million have been displaced, according to local officials. Meanwhile, Israel is still widely expected to retaliate against Iran for an attack of 200 ballistic missiles last week.
The Israeli prime minister, speaking to troops in northern Israel on Sunday, vowed to press on with the fights across multiple fronts, saying the country’s enemies are on the back foot.
“A year ago we took a terrible blow,” he said. “Since then, we have changed the reality across the board. The entire world is astonished by the blows you are landing on our enemies.”
Israel has been in a state of war since Hamas stormed southern Israeli communities and military bases on Oct. 7 last year, killing 1,200 people and abducting 250. About 100 hostages remain in Gaza, though the Israeli military believes about a third of those are dead. Israel on Monday announced the death in absentia of one person kidnapped from the Nova music festival, an event targeted in the Oct. 7 invasion.
Almost 42,000 people have been killed by Israel’s operations in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry there, which doesn’t distinguish between civilian and combatant casualties. The territory has been devastated by the year of war, with much of the population of more than 2 million people displaced.
Both Hezbollah and Hamas are considered terrorist organizations by the US and many other countries.
In a Hebrew post on X, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Hamas’s assault “set the Zionist regime back 70 years.”
In northern Gaza, the most populated part of the Palestinian territory before the war began, Israel’s stepped up aerial and ground attacks. It warned that Hamas is trying to rebuild in the area.
The IDF said aircraft hit launchers and underground infrastructure in Gaza. Hamas fired four rockets into southern Israel, of which three were intercepted and one fell in an open area, it said.
Israel sent troops into southern Lebanon last week, saying it had no choice because diplomatic efforts from the US, France and others to stop a year of Hezbollah’s missiles and drone strikes had failed. Israeli troops are operating in Lebanese villages close to the border, and the military says it’s destroyed thousands of Hezbollah weapons and facilities.
Hezbollah said it detonated several roadside bombs in Yaroun and Maroun el Ras against Israeli troops advancing there over the weekend.
Israel continued an air assault on Beirut’s southern suburbs, with television footage showing explosions that followed a late attack near the country’s main airport. It also carried out strikes on border towns in south Lebanon including Bint Jbeil.
At least 25 people killed and 96 others were wounded on Sunday, Lebanon’s Ministry of Health said.
Netanyahu’s government has brushed aside calls for a cease-fire with Hezbollah, which is continuing to fire weapons into Israel. His campaign is part of a plan to ensure tens of thousands of displaced Israelis can return to their homes in the north.
–With assistance from Omar Tamo and Alisa Odenheimer.
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