Middle East Conflict: Israel Kills Hezbollah Field Commander, Army Withdraws From Southern Gaza

Hezbollah confirms top commander's killing

The Lebanon-based terror group on Monday afternoon confirmed the killing of a top commander in its Radwan Force, alongside another Hezbollah member.

Hassin (Ali Ahmad Hussein) was killed in an Israeli airstrike earlier in the day.

Iraq to send much-needed fuel to Gaza

Iraq will send 10 million liters of fuel to Gaza to show support for Palestine, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudan said. The country will also receive injured Palestinians and treat them in government and private hospitals.

The country's commitment come amid the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. A critically-low supply of fuel has crippled the enclave's health system and made it difficult for bakeries to continue operating.

Sirens sound in northern Israel

Rocket sirens sounded in Israel Monday afternoon local time, as per Israeli outlets. This comes amid continuing fire exchanges between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Widespread internet outages across Iran: Reports

Multiple outlets are reporting widespread internet disruptions across Iran Monday afternoon, some citing Arab sources. The Iranian government has yet to deny or confirm the reports.

The cause of the disruptions, if confirmed, is unclear at this point.

Fatah-Hamas tensions reportedly escalating

Tensions between the Gaza Strip's main powers, Fatah and Hamas, have escalated, local media reported Monday.

Hamas has been pushing for a role in governing the Gaza Strip after the war ends, but Israeli allies, led by Washington, have repeatedly said they would back a reformed Palestinian Authority (PA) in a post-war Gaza.

The conflict escalated after Hamas accused some PA intelligence operatives of cooperating with Israel. A Fatah spokesperson has said PA intel operatives were only in Gaza to distribute aid relief to civilians.

Israel begins preparations for Rafah raid

Israel has started preparing for its planned ground incursion of Rafah, an overcrowded city in southern Gaza where more than a million Palestinians have been sheltering since the war started.

The country's defense minister hinted Monday that the reason IDF troops left Khan Yunis, southern Gaza's main city, was "to prepare for future missions, including... in Rafah."

The Israeli government has repeatedly said a Rafah incursion was necessary to defeat Hamas, but Israeli allies, including the U.S., have repeatedly warned against a raid that does not include a solid plan to protect civilians.

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Gaza death toll passes 33,000-mark: Hamas-run health ministry

Gaza's health ministry, which is run by Hamas, said Monday that the death toll from the Israel-Hamas war has now reached 33,207. The number of injured has climbed to 75,933, it added.

Nicaragua drags Germany to UN top court over Israel arms exports

Nicaragua on Monday filed a complaint against Germany at the ICJ, demanding that the European country be barred from supporting exporting arms to Israel. "By sending military equipment and now defunding UNRWA ... Germany is facilitating the commission of genocide," Nicaragua's submission states.

Germany has since rejected Nicaragua's allegations, saying it did not violate any international and humanitarian laws. It is expected to respond in court Tuesday.

Read the full story here.

Missiles fired toward merchant ship: UKMTO

The UKMTO said Sunday that container ship Hope Island was attacked by two missiles off Aden in Yemen. One missile was intercepted by coalition forces, while the second hit the waters near the ship.

No damage was caused to the Hope Island and its crew were reported safe.

Houthis run amok in Middle Eastern waters

The Iranian-backed terror militia resumed attacks in seas across the Middle East over the weekend. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sare'e said the group attacked "British" merchant ship Hope Island using naval missiles.

Two "Israeli ships" namely the MSC Grace F and MSC Gina were also attacked over the weekend in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea respectively, Sare'e said.

Houthis pledged solidarity with the Palestinian people and said they will continue to attack American, British and Israeli commercial vessels until Israel ends its military offensive in Gaza.

Truce talks still in a deadlock: Hamas official

There was no progress made in talks for a potential ceasefire in Cairo Monday, Reuters reported, citing a Hamas official who asked not to be identified. "There is no change in the position of the occupation and therefore, there is nothing new in the Cairo talks. There is no progress yet," the official said.

Israeli, Qatari and American delegations arrived in Egypt over the weekend, including CIA Director Bill Burns, to discuss a possible ceasefire deal. The Hamas official's comments came amid reports that the Monday discussions yielded positive signals.

Israeli army withdraws from southern Gaza

The IDF has pulled out its ground forces from southern Gaza. However, Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant hinted that the withdrawal of troops from the region's main city of Khan Yunis was so that soldiers can "prepare for future missions, including...in Rafah."

IDF strike eliminates top Hezbollah elite force leader

An Israeli army airstrike in the As-Sultaniyah area in southern Lebanon killed Hassin early Monday, the IDF said. It also published footage of the airstrike that supposedly assassinated the Radwan Force field commander.

Hassin "served as a veteran and senior official in the terrorist organization, equivalent in rank to the rank of brigadier general," the Israeli army noted.

Hassin's killing is expected to escalate tensions in the area further as he is the highest-ranking Hezbollah official in recent weeks that the IDF assassinated.