Israel at war day 538: What's going on in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria?
Hamas executes alleged spies • French, Lebanese presidents condemn Beirut strike • Katz sends message to Lebanon post-Beirut strike
US deputy Middle East envoy: Lebanese gov't must eliminate groups firing on Israel
“It's time for diplomacy between Israel and Lebanon,” Ortagus said.
The Lebanese government must eliminate groups that fired rockets at Israel, US deputy Middle East envoy Morgan Ortagus said in an interview with the Saudi al-Hadath channel on Friday, while noting that Israel has the right to respond.
أورتاغوس للعربية:
— العربية (@AlArabiya) March 28, 2025
* أميركا تؤكد ضرورة نزع سلاح #حزب_الله بالكامل
* انسحاب #إسرائيل من النقاط الخمس من #لبنان يجب أن يتم عبر المفاوضات
* إيران وحزب الله دمرا جنوب لبنان
* إيران وحزب الله هما من جرا لبنان للحرب #قناة_العربية pic.twitter.com/pyyUa5CpaB
The interview comes following Israel’s strike on Lebanon’s Beirut suburbs, after rockets were launched towards the northern Galilee from Lebanese territory.
Go to the full article >>Netanyahu: Israel will not allow any fire on our communities
Katz had earlier sent a message to the Lebanese government that Lebanon must enforce the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, or Israel will continue to strike the country.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel will not allow any fire on any of its communities in a statement on Friday, following its first strike on Beirut since a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah was implemented in November.
"Anyone who has not yet internalized the new reality in Lebanon received another example today of our determination," Netanyahu began.
"The equation has changed — what was before October 7 will not return. We will not allow any fire on our communities, not even a trickle.
Go to the full article >>Police arrest two terror suspects, one shot in leg, during overnight operation in Jenin
Counterterrorism Unit police officers arrested two wanted suspects in Jenin and shot one who tried to run away during an overnight operation guided by the Shin Bet, the police said in a Friday statement.
During the operation, the officers, along with IDF troops from the Menashe Brigade, arrested suspects who they said were involved in terror activity in the Jenin area.
One was arrested in his home, and the other was shot in the leg after he tried to escape and was then arrested.
Explosive devices were thrown at them when they were leaving the area. There were no injuries to the forces.
Go to the full article >>French, Lebanese presidents condemn Israeli strikes on Beirut as 'unacceptable'
"Israel is France's friend", Macron told reporters, adding France could thus express disagreements over some of Israel's actions.
Both French President Emmanuel Macron and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned Israel’s Friday strike on Beirut at a meeting at the Elysee palace in Paris, with the aim to discuss economic reforms and efforts to stabilize Lebanon as a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been shaken by new attacks in the country.
Macron said the strikes were "unacceptable" and a violation of the ceasefire.
There was no activity justifying Israel's strikes, Macron said, and he would call US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the attacks.
Go to the full article >>Defense Minister Israel Katz sends message to Lebanon post-Beirut strike
Defense Minister Israel Katz sent a direct message to the Lebanese government on Friday that Lebanon must enforce the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, or Israel will continue to strike the country.
"I'm sending a clear message to the Lebanese government: if you don't enforce the ceasefire agreement - we will," Katz said.
"For every attempt to harm communities in the Galilee, the rooftops of buildings in the Dahiyeh district of Beirut will shake," he said. "We promised quiet for the residents of the Galilee - and that's how it will be."
Go to the full article >>IDF strikes Beirut building after two rockets launched at northern Israel
"When Hezbollah, Iran's terror proxy, fires on Israel, Israel must respond in Tehran," former prime minister Naftali Bennett wrote.
The IDF struck a building in Beirut's southern suburb of Dahiyeh, the military said on Friday afternoon, after two rockets were fired at Israeli territory from Lebanon earlier in the day.
The IDF said the building was used by Hezbollah to store drones and belonged to Hezbollah's aerial unit 127.
Shortly before the strike, IDF spokesperson in Arabic, Col. Avichay Adraee, issued an evacuation warning for a building in the Dahiyeh.
Before the strike in Beirut, the military said it had attacked Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.
Go to the full article >>IDF thwarts drone attempting to smuggle weapons from Egypt
Security forces thwarted on Thursday a drone that attempted to smuggle weapons from Egypt into Israeli territory, the military and police said on Friday.
The forces confiscated the drone along with the weapons.
Go to the full article >>
Hamas executes suspected spies in Gaza as Israeli strikes on officials ramp up - report
Those “who were proven to be guilty of espionage have already been executed, while investigations are still ongoing with others,” a source said.
Hamas has executed individuals it deemed suspects of espionage in areas of the Gaza Strip where officials of the terror group have been targeted, sources within Hamas told Saudi-owned news outlet Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday.
According to the report, the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, noted that the terror group had carried out "revolutionary courts" for such suspects. Those “who were proven to be guilty of espionage have already been executed, while investigations are still ongoing with others,” a source reportedly said.
Since the resumption of fighting on March 18, the IDF has killed 150 terrorists, including 10 top Hamas officials, in widespread strikes on the Gaza Strip, The Jerusalem Post learned.
Go to the full article >>Hamas executes suspected spies in Gaza as Israeli strikes on officials ramp up - report
Those “who were proven to be guilty of espionage have already been executed, while investigations are still ongoing with others,” a source reportedly said.
Hamas has executed individuals it deemed suspects of espionage in areas of the Gaza Strip where officials of the terror group have been targeted, sources within Hamas told Saudi-owned news outlet Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday.
According to the report, the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, noted that the terror group had carried out "revolutionary courts" for such suspects. Those “who were proven to be guilty of espionage have already been executed, while investigations are still ongoing with others,” a source reportedly said.
Since the resumption of fighting on March 18, the IDF has killed 150 terrorists, including 10 top Hamas officials, in widespread strikes on the Gaza Strip, The Jerusalem Post learned.
Go to the full article >>Rocket sirens sound in Kiryat Shmona, surrounding area
Rocket sirens sounded in Kiryat Shmona and its surrounding area starting at 7:50 a.m. local time on Friday morning.
The military said the details of the incident were under review.
This is a developing story.
Go to the full article >>Important facts
- Hamas launched a massive attack on October 7, with thousands of terrorists infiltrating from the Gaza border and taking some 240 hostages into Gaza.
- Over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals were murdered, including over 350 at the Supernova music festival and hundreds of Israeli civilians across Gaza border communities.
- 59 hostages remain in Gaza.
- 49 hostages in total have been killed in captivity, IDF says.
- The IDF launched a ground invasion of Lebanon on September 30.
- The Israel-Lebanon ceasefire came into effect on November 27 at 4 a.m.
- Netanyahu confirmed the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire on January 17, 2025
- 735 terrorists will be released as part of the hostage deal.