Israeli airstrikes hit 40 Hamas targets in Gaza

Palestinian children check a building destroyed by Israeli bombardment in Rafah. Pic/AP

Israeli forces in central Gaza destroyed rocket launchers and Hamas terror infrastructure, while also eliminating terrorists, the Israel Defence Forces said on Wednesday morning. One of the strikes was on a Hamas squad operating an armed drone near Israeli troops.

In additional strikes, Israeli aircraft struck several rocket launchers that were primed to fire rockets at Israel. More than 40 targets were struck, including underground launching posts, booby-trapped buildings, military structures where armed terrorists operated, observation posts, and underground locations.

At least 1,200 people were killed and 240 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the remaining 134 hostages, Israel recently declared 31 of them dead.

Iran vows to respond

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said on Wednesday that Israel "is making a decision to act" in response to Iran's missile and drone attack over the weekend, while Iran warned that even the "tiniest" invasion of its territory would bring a "massive and harsh" response.

Israel has vowed to respond to Iran's unprecedented attack without saying when or how, leaving the region bracing for further escalation after months of unrest linked to the ongoing war in Gaza. Israel's closest allies, including the United States and the United Kingdom--which helped it repel the Iranian attack--are trying to limit any further escalation.

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi meanwhile warned Israel against any retaliation as he addressed an annual army parade, which had been relocated to a barracks from its usual route and was not carried live on state TV - possibly because of fears that it could be targeted.

UN appeals for $2.8 bn to help Palestinians

The United Nations appealed for USD 2.8 billion to provide desperately needed aid to 3 million Palestinians, stressing that tackling looming famine in war-torn Gaza requires not only food but sanitation, water and health facilities. Andrea De Domenico, the head of the UN humanitarian office for Gaza and the West Bank, told reporters that "massive operations" are required to restore those services and meet minimum standards ¿ and this can't be done during military operations.

Italy seeks G7 message to ease Mideast tensions

Group of Seven foreign ministers are meeting on the Italian resort island of Capri, with soaring tensions in the Mideast and Russia's continuing war in Ukraine topping the agenda. Under Italy's rotating stewardship, the G7 leaders are expected to issue a united call for Israel to exercise restraint after Iran's unprecedented weekend attack involving hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles fired toward the Jewish state.

1,200
No of people killed in Oct 7 Hamas attack