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Deadly Israeli attack on Gaza kills 73, Netanyahu warns Iran and Hezbollah
The death toll is expected to rise as emergency responders struggle to reach trapped survivors.
A devastating Israeli airstrike hit northern Gaza's Beit Lahiya on Saturday night, killing at least 73 people and potentially trapping many more under rubble. The multi-story residential building and surrounding houses were severely damaged, and rescue operations are being hindered by the ongoing telecommunications and internet outage, now in its second day.
The death toll is expected to rise as emergency responders struggle to reach trapped survivors. Medway Abbas, a senior health ministry official, confirmed the accuracy of the 73 reported deaths to The Guardian. The densely populated area makes it challenging for rescue teams to navigate and assess the full extent of the damage.
Gaza's Government Media Office has warned of a dire situation in northern Gaza due to a 16-day Israeli military siege that has cut off essential services like food, water, and medicine.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have disputed the death toll, labeling it "exaggerated". However, Oxfam, a non-governmental organization, reported an additional attack in southern Gaza, killing four water engineers and workers near Khan Younis.
Escalating Middle East Conflict
The latest strikes come after a drone targeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence, prompting a stern warning to Iran and Hezbollah. Netanyahu condemned the "grave mistake" and vowed to eliminate terrorists and those responsible. Israel has also struck Hezbollah targets in Beirut, Lebanon, in response to rocket barrages fired by the Lebanese armed group.
Israel's military said dozens of projectiles were launched from Lebanon a day after Hezbollah announced a new phase in fighting. Netanyahu’s office said the drone targeted his house in the Mediterranean coastal town of Caesarea. Neither he nor his wife was there. It wasn't clear if the house was hit.
“The proxies of Iran who today tried to assassinate me and my wife made a bitter mistake,” Netanyahu said.
Late last month, Israel launched an intense air campaign on Lebanon and sent in ground forces after nearly a year of cross-border exchanges with Hezbollah over the Gaza war.
Since then, the war has killed at least 1,454 people in Lebanon, according to an AFP tally of Lebanese health ministry figures, though the real toll is likely higher.
