Israel Says It's Fighting a 'Multi-Front' War

Facts

• Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said his country is in a 'multi-front war' in 'Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Judea and Samaria (West Bank), Iraq, Yemen, and Iran,' adding that they've 'already responded and taken action in six of these theatres.' This followed an Israeli airstrike on Monday in Damascus, Syria. Iran-backed groups in Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq have also launched attacks against Israel and the US.¹
• Also on Monday, the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah group in Iraq claimed responsibility for a drone strike that injured three US troops. In response, the US launched airstrikes on three facilities used by the militant group, estimating it killed several militants. While the US said no civilians were 'affected,' the Iraqi government said one 'serviceman' was killed and 18 others, including civilians, were injured.²
• This came as the Israeli military expanded its operations in Gaza on Tuesday, with Israeli forces reportedly advancing into areas in central Gaza, such as the al-Bureij refugee camp. Intense fighting in Khan Younis and Gaza City has also continued, with the Israeli military saying that it was close to 'dismantling' Hamas's military capabilities in the north of the strip.³
• The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reported that 241 Palestinians were killed and 382 injured in the past 24 hours, bringing Palestinian casualties to a reported 20,915 deaths and 54,918 injured since Oct. 7.⁴
• Following the deaths of 17 Israeli Defense Force troops over the weekend, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops in northern Gaza to offer words of encouragement on Tuesday and later addressed the Knesset, where he was interrupted by the families of hostages taken by Hamas, who called for a hostage exchange deal.⁵
• Outside the Middle East, there was a reported explosion near the Israeli embassy in New Delhi, India, with authorities claiming no staff were harmed. An investigation has been opened but has reportedly yet to find anything conclusive.⁶

Sources: ¹The Guardian, ²CNN, ³Axios, ⁴Sky News, ⁵NBC and ⁶Reuters.

Narratives

• Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by The Wall Street Journal. Palestine can no longer be ruled by the current Palestinian Authority (PA), let alone Hamas. If the world wants peace in the region, Palestine must be demilitarized and brought under a legitimate governing body. This will first require a complete dismantling of Hamas, followed by security mechanisms between Israel and neighboring countries like Egypt to ensure weapons are no longer smuggled into Gaza.
• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. If Netanyahu wants to free Palestine from the grips of both Hamas and the PA, he's doing a terrible job. As the Muslim world watches live coverage of Israel bombing Gaza — with 70% of deaths being women and children — public support for the PA has plummeted and been replaced by rising support for Hamas. Israel is not only firing weapons but using starvation as a military tactic. This war, whenever it ends, won't lead to global support for Israel.

Predictions