Thousands Flee As Israel Begins Gaza Raids, Several Journalists Killed In Attack On Lebanon

Israeli has begun 'localised raids' in Gaza in its first ground attack in the region after the war began on October 7.

Amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, the Israeli infantry and tanks have carried out "localised raids" in Gaza Strip in its first ground assaults since the clashes began on October 7. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that small raids were carried out to attack Hamas rocket crews and seek information on the location of hostages taken by Palestinian gunmen last Saturday, reported Sky News. Israel has earlier announced a ground raid in the besieged Gaza Strip, asking citizens to leave the area.

CNN reported that several journalists wearing body armor clearly labeled as "press" were hit when Israeli forces struck Lebanon on Friday. It added that the sudden blast killed one Reuters journalist and wounded at least six others.

The Israeli military said that it had fired artillery at Lebanese territory after a border fence exploded near the Israeli kibbutz of Hanita, near which a group of journalists was covering the exchange of fire, CNN stated.

The Israeli military stated that ground troops have been operating inside the Gaza Strip to battle Hamas fighters and destroy weapons as well as search for evidence about the captives. Meanwhile, Hamas' press office said 70 people, mostly women and children, had been killed in an Israeli airstrike on convoys fleeing Gaza City.

It stated that the cars were struck in three places as they headed south from the city, reported Sky News.

Thousands began fleeing Gaza after Israel warned more than a million people to evacuate toward the southern part of the territory to "save their lives" as the war escalates.

On Saturday, Israeli Defence Forces said they struck a Hezbollah target in southern Lebanon after one of its drones was fired on. It was in response to "the infiltration of unidentified aerial objects into Israel and fire on an IDF UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle]," the Israeli military said in a statement Saturday morning local time, adding that it intercepted both the aerial objects and the fire.