Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday amid public disagreements regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza, appointing former senior diplomat Israel Katz as his successor. This unexpected decision to remove Gallant, who has taken a hardline stance on Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah but has recently advocated for a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza, coincides with elections in the United States, Israel’s primary military ally. Netanyahu and Gallant have often been at odds concerning Israel’s military response to Hamas following the militant group’s lethal assault on October 7 of the previous year. A statement from Netanyahu’s office indicated that “trust has eroded” over recent months, prompting the Prime Minister to terminate Gallant’s position, while also announcing Katz’s appointment. Gideon Saar has been designated to succeed Katz as foreign minister. Following his dismissal, Gallant expressed that ensuring Israel’s security would continue to be his life’s “mission.” The attack by Hamas on October 7 resulted in the deaths of 1,206 individuals, predominantly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official statistics. The retaliatory actions undertaken by Israel have resulted in the deaths of 43,391 individuals in Gaza, predominantly civilians, as reported by the health ministry in Gaza, which the United Nations regards as a credible source.
On Tuesday, Israeli forces intensified their multi-front operations against militants, more than a year after the onset of the Gaza conflict. Reports from Lebanon indicated that there were lethal airstrikes throughout the country, with the health ministry confirming that an Israeli assault on the coastal town of Jiyeh, located south of Beirut, resulted in one fatality and left 20 others injured. A security source, who requested anonymity, indicated that the target was an apartment associated with Hezbollah. The attack led to the destruction of the top floor of a four-story building, as noted by an AFP correspondent. Additionally, airstrikes were reported in southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley, according to Lebanon’s official National News Agency. The NNA further stated that the Lebanese Red Cross and military personnel had retrieved seven bodies from a village in the southern Tyre region following recent intense bombardments. On the same day, Hezbollah asserted that it had launched rockets and drones into northern Israel and had also engaged Israeli forces near the border within Lebanon.
Recent clashes on Tuesday marked over a month of conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, resulting in at least 1,964 deaths in Lebanon since September 23, according to AFP. In Syria, Al-Qusayr faced its second airstrike in a week, targeting Hezbollah’s weapons storage, with no reported casualties. In the West Bank, violence has surged since the October 7 attack on Israel, with Israeli forces reportedly killing seven Palestinians in various operations. Since the Gaza conflict began, at least 757 Palestinians have died in the West Bank, according to Ramallah’s health ministry. Residents in Gaza hope the upcoming U.S. presidential election will bring an end to the conflict, with one resident expressing a desire for a leader who can alleviate their suffering.
