The Israeli military has moved to expand its ground operations in the Gaza Strip.
“The Israeli military late Friday into Saturday ‘expanded’ its ground operation in Gaza while also ramping up its bombardment of the Strip, targeting what the IDF said were Hamas tunnels and other infrastructure.
Netanyahu on Saturday reiterated that the war will be ‘long and difficult’.
Prior to Israel's expansion of its ground operations, Israel ordered more than one million Palestinians in the northern part of the Strip to evacuate to the south. About 700,000 Palestinians heeded the order, according to the UN. Others remained in northern Gaza, saying there was nowhere to go.
The IDF on Saturday dispersed leaflets in northern Gaza that called on Palestinians to move south, saying the area is a war zone and isn't safe.
Israel allowed some aid into Gaza from Egypt after growing pressure worldwide, but aid groups say it's only a fraction of the enclave's needs”. -Barak Ravid, Axios
As the Israeli operation Iron Swords enters its fourth week, the ground invasion into Gaza poses the risk that Hezbollah will launch an attack on northern Israel in response, provoking a wider Middle East war that could draw in the United States.
And considering the recent rhetoric from the newly elected Republican Speaker of the House that U.S. “boots on the ground” may be required in order to “stand with Israel”, America may once again get dragged into another war in the Middle East in defense of the its "greatest ally".