Israel expands northern Gaza operations

The Israeli military on Thursday announced it expanded its month-old ground operation in northern Gaza to include part of Beit Lahiya, a town that has been heavily bombed since the earliest days of the war, where Israel says Hamas fighters have regrouped.
The Israel-Hamas war began after Palestinian militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people - mostly civilians - and abducting 250 others. Israel's military response in Gaza has killed more than 43,000 people, Palestinian health officials say. They do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, but say more than half of those killed were women and children.
Israel says it has reached an agreement to purchase 25 advanced F-15 fighter jets from US aerospace giant Boeing for $5.2 billion.
The Defence Ministry said the agreement, concluded on Wednesday, was part of a broader aid package approved by the US government earlier this year. Deliveries will begin in 2031, and there’s an option for the purchase of an additional 25 aircraft.
The United States has provided crucial military support to Israel as it has battled Hamas in Gaza, Hizbollah in Lebanon and traded fire with Iran.
The Biden administration recently warned Israel that if it did not facilitate the delivery of more aid to Gaza, US laws may force the administration to curb some of its military support.
The State Department said this week that Israel had yet to sufficiently improve aid deliveries ahead of a mid-November deadline.
President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to end the wars in the Middle East without saying how he plans to do it. He was a staunch supporter of Israel during his previous term but also cultivated close ties with Arab Gulf leaders.

Associated Press