Israel-Hamas Conflict: US Sanctions Hamas-Linked Iranian Military Officials; Hostage Count Climbs To 229

3 injured after rocket hits Tel Aviv apartment

Three people have been injured after a rocket hit an apartment in Tel Aviv, Israel's national emergency services agency Magen David Adom (Mdais) said Friday.

One patient in "moderate" condition has been transported to a hospital, while two others sustained "mild" injuries and were being treated on the scene.

Rockets fired at Tel Aviv: reports

A rocket attack is taking place in Tel Aviv on Friday afternoon, as per multiple posts on X. The IDF posted that sirens were sounding in the Israeli city.

US sanctions Hamas-linked officials

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Friday imposed sanctions on several Hamas-linked Iranian officials and financial networks.

Among those sanctioned are Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Qods Force (IRGC-QF) officials Ali Morshed Shirazi and Mostafa Mohammad, as well as Iran-based commander of the IRGC Ground Force's Saberin Special Forces Brigade, Ali Ahmad Faizullahi. The sanctioned individuals allegedly trained Hamas terrorists.

Over 250 Hamas assets struck

More than 250 Hamas assets were struck in Israeli aerial attacks, including a tunnel network in Gaza that detonated bombs, resulting in secondary explosions, the IDF said Friday.

Shelter order issued for Nir's Cliff residents

Residents around the Nir's Cliff nature preserve near the Lebanon-Israel border have been instructed to enter shelters due to a suspected security incident in the area, local media reported Friday.

Medical team enters Gaza

A medical team consisting of 10 doctors has entered Gaza Friday afternoon local time through the Rafah border crossing, along with 10 trucks of humanitarian aid.

50 hostages died in bombardments: Hamas

Israeli air strikes targeted at the Gaza Strip has killed 50 hostages being held by Hamas, the militant group said as per Russian news outlet Kommersant but no further details were provided, according to a Google translation.

International Business Times cannot independently verify the report.

The report comes as the IDF said Friday that the number of hostages being held by the terror group has now reached 229.

West Khan Yunis Battalion commander killed: IAF

The IAF said Friday that joint forces of the IDF and Israeli security services agency Shin Bet killed Madhath Mubashar, the Hamas' West Khan Yunis Battalion commander, Thursday night.

Mubashar allegedly participated in sniper attacks and explosive operations against Israeli forces and even Israeli settlements, the IAF said, as per a Google-translated post on X.

Hostage count climbs again: IDF

The IDF said the number of people being held hostage by Hamas has now increased to 229.

Military analyst Sean Bell told Sky News that the numbers change because the hostages are "being held by several different groups" even if Hamas conducted the infiltration into Israel that resulted in the abductions. "I wouldn't be at all surprised if Hamas itself doesn't actually know the hard numbers," Bell said.

He added that the hostages were "almost certainly" being held in smaller groups, in different areas, making it difficult to "nail down hard numbers" regarding the hostages.

Demolition order issued for house of senior Hamas leader

A demolition order was issued for a house owned by senior Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri Friday by the IDF, the Jerusalem Post reported. The house is reportedly located within the northern part of the West Bank. Arouri is allegedly in hiding somewhere in Lebanon.

Hostage-focused demonstrations held in Australia

Pro-Israel demonstrations were held in parts of Australia on Thursday in a show of solidarity with Israel as the country awaits news about the hostages being held by Hamas.

The demonstrations featured photos of the 224 hostages abducted by Hamas terrorists when they swept inside Israel on Oct. 7.

Hamas spox ends interview when asked about civilian casualties

Ghazi Hamad, a Hamas spokesperson, ended an interview with BBC Thursday when pressed about how the terror group could "justify killing people as they sleep" during the Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel that killed more than 1,400 people -- majority of them being civilians.

"I want to stop this interview," Hamad said while removing his clip-on microphone as the interviewer asked "How do you justify killing hundreds of people?"

Prior to the abrupt end of the interview, Hamad reportedly reiterated the militant group's earlier claims that Hamas operatives had no intentions to kill civilians during the carnage.

Israel strikes 'center of Gaza Strip'

Helicopter gunships of the Israeli Air Force (AIF) "raided the center of the Gaza Strip" Thursday, the IAF said in a Google-translated post on X. The agency did not provide the exact areas that were targeted in Thursday's raids.

As part of the operations, IDF aircraft also struck Hamas targets "in the Sajaya neighborhood and throughout the Gaza Strip," the AIF said. No Israeli soldiers were killed in the process and they have since left the area.

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Israeli armored vehicles raid Jenin: reports

Israeli armored vehicles were reportedly faced with "heavy fire" as a raid was being conducted in Jenin, a city in the West Bank early Friday..

Armed clashes reportedly broke out across the city during the said raid as per Anadolu Agency.

US warplanes strike Syria weapons assets after Iran-backed attacks

Two U.S. F-16 fighter jets launched air strikes on weapons and ammunition facilities used by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps near Abu Kamal, Syria early Friday local time after Iranian-backed militia allegedly attacked American forces.

The Pentagon warned that the U.S. will take further measures if Iran's proxies continue to attack U.S. forces, Reuters reported.

No civilians in area where ground raid was conducted: IDF

IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said Thursday that the area where a ground raid was conducted in northern Gaza had no civilians. People who used to live in the northern "outskirts" of the Gaza Strip that was raided were evacuated and "only combatants" were present at the time, he said.

The Wednesday raid was "limited," he added, but Israeli forces are expecting to enter a more densely Hamas-populated area "soon."

EU leaders stand by Israel's right to defense, urge humanitarian access in Gaza

European leaders on Thursday released a declaration on the Israel-Hamas war, condemning "in the strongest possible terms" the Hamas' "brutal and indiscriminate terrorist attacks across Israel."

They also "strongly" emphasized Israel's right to defend itself "in line with international law and international humanitarian law," and urged for the assurance of "continued, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access and aid" for the civilians in Gaza.

The declaration came despite long-standing divisions on European nations' position regarding Israelis and Palestinians.

Israeli air strike eliminates top Hamas leader

Shadi Barud, the deputy head of Hamas' Intelligence Directorate, was assassinated Thursday in an aerial strike by IDF forces. Barud allegedly participated in the planning of the Oct. 7 incursion in Israel.

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) said Barud's elimination was based on "accurate intelligence" from Israel's security services Shin Bet and Amman. Barud was the former head of the terrorist group's attack department and previously participated in planning past attacks against Israelis, the IAF said in a Google-translated post on X.

3 senior Hamas operatives killed

The IDF said Thursday that three senior Hamas operatives under the Daraj Tuffah Battalion were assassinated as guided by "precise IDF and ISA intelligence."

Battalion commander Rifaat Abbas, battalion deputy commander Ibraham Jadba, and combat support commander Tarek Maarouf are said to have "played a significant role" in the incursion in Israel on Oct. 7. The Daraj Tuffah Battalion is considered as the Hamas' "most significant brigade," the IDF said.

Iran warns US 'will not be spared' if Israel-Hamas conflict expands

Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian brazenly warned the United States in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday that Washington will "not be spared from this fire" if the Israel-Hamas conflict extends across the Middle East.

Iranian soldiers helped Hamas plan the shock incursion into Israel for several weeks, senior Hamas and Hezbollah members revealed a day after the infiltration.

900 US troops deploying to Middle East

Roughly 900 more U.S. troops have deployed or are on their way to the Middle East as Washington scrambles to reinforce protection for American personnel and their families in the tension-packed region.

Pentagon Press Secretary Gen. Patrick Ryder told reporters Thursday that there has been a surge in Iran-affiliated attacks against Americans in the region. He added that U.S. personnel in Iraq were targeted earlier Thursday but the attack was thwarted. He did not specify which Iran-linked groups took responsibility for the attack.

Israel to continue ground raids

Israel has no plans of letting up on ground raids into Gaza in the coming days as Israeli forces prepare for an all-out ground incursion following a "targeted raid" Wednesday that engaged Hamas terrorists.

IDF spokesperson Peter Lerner told CNN that the Wednesday raid "engaged the enemy, killing terrorists who were planning to conduct attacks against us with anti-tank guided missiles."

Chief of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, Daniel Hagari, also said later Thursday that ground raids in Gaza in the coming days should neutralize Hamas explosive devices and kill militants.

12 trucks of humanitarian supplies enter Gaza

The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said Thursday that 12 humanitarian trucks carrying water, food, medicine and medical supplies have entered Gaza through the Rafah border crossing. However, fuel has not been allowed to enter the Gaza Strip.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has repeatedly accused Hamas of stockpiling fuel that Gaza residents need to run hospitals and power plants.