Israel launches ground offensive in Gaza City

The operation to occupy what is believed to be the last remaining Hamas stronghold has been confirmed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the IDF.

Israel has launched a ground offensive in Gaza City, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Tuesday.

Speaking at the opening session of his corruption trial, Netanyahu asked to be excused from testimony due to the “important things happening,” declaring that the IDF “has begun an intensive operation in Gaza City.”

The military later confirmed that two IDF divisions, numbering tens of thousands of troops, had begun expanded ground operations overnight as the army entered a “new stage” of its campaign against Hamas. The IDF said the 162nd and 98th divisions were leading the push and that the 36th division would join in the coming days.

The escalation follows the Israeli Security Cabinet’s approval last month of plans to seize Gaza City – one of the few areas not under IDF control – in a move that could pave the way for a full takeover of the Palestinian enclave.

While a ground assault had been anticipated in October, the early phases of the offensive, dubbed ‘Gideon’s Chariots B’, began weeks ago with intensified strikes on alleged Hamas positions, including high-rise towers, as well as ground raids on the outskirts of Gaza City and several neighborhoods to the west.

Palestinian media reported heavy strikes on Gaza City and its outskirts on Monday night, with some outlets claiming that IDF tanks had entered.

IDF spokesperson Effie Defrin has characterized Gaza City as the “central hub of Hamas’ military and governing power,” accusing the militants of turning the area into the “largest human shield in history.”

“Beneath the streets runs a vast network of tunnels, connecting command centers, rocket launchers, and weapon storage facilities – all deliberately hidden under civilians, in civilian infrastructure,” he said.

Defrin urged Palestinian civilians to stay away from the combat zone, and claimed that the IDF has “expanded humanitarian efforts in Gaza” in recent weeks.

The relatives of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas have staged a protest outside of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, denouncing his government’s decision to launch a new offensive in Gaza City. The activists have vowed that their encampment will remain in place “until Netanyahu listens and implements the people’s will.” They expressed concerns that intensifying military activity would put the lives of 20 hostages, believed to still be alive, at grave risk.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has denounced the “new IDF assault on Gaza [as] utterly reckless and appalling.”

In a post on X on Tuesday, the British official predicted that the Israeli military onslaught “will only bring more bloodshed, kill more innocent civilians & endanger the remaining hostages.”

Cooper called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages held in Hamas captivity, and unrestricted humanitarian aid to the densely-populated Palestinian enclave.

IDF spokesperson Effie Defrin has characterized Gaza City as the “central hub of Hamas’ military and governing power,” accusing the militants of turning the area into the “largest human shield in history.”

“Beneath the streets runs a vast network of tunnels, connecting command centers, rocket launchers, and weapon storage facilities – all deliberately hidden under civilians, in civilian infrastructure,” he said.

Defrin urged Palestinian civilians to stay away from the combat zone, and claimed that the IDF has “expanded humanitarian efforts in Gaza” in recent weeks.

The relatives of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas have staged a protest outside of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, denouncing his government’s decision to launch a new offensive in Gaza City. The activists have vowed that their encampment will remain in place “until Netanyahu listens and implements the people’s will.” They expressed concerns that intensifying military activity would put the lives of 20 hostages, believed to still be alive, at grave risk.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has denounced the “new IDF assault on Gaza [as] utterly reckless and appalling.”

In a post on X on Tuesday, the British official predicted that the Israeli military onslaught “will only bring more bloodshed, kill more innocent civilians & endanger the remaining hostages.”

Cooper called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages held in Hamas captivity, and unrestricted humanitarian aid to the densely-populated Palestinian enclave.

The Israeli air force has bombed the Yemeni port of Hodeidah, where at least five powerful explosions have been heard, RIA Novosti has reported, citing a local government source.

Unverified footage circulating on social media shows smoke billowing over the port, with the caption claiming airstrikes have targeted three piers.

Yemeni air defenses are confronting Israeli jets carrying out “aggression” against the country, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree has said on X. His statement came after an Israeli army spokesperson announced that the IDF would strike Yemen’s Red Sea port of Hodeidah “in the coming hours.”