Netanyahu wants to expand the operation in Gaza — the military is against it, residents have been ordered to leave the city

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering the possibility of a large-scale expansion of the military operation in the Gaza Strip, despite serious objections from the army command. The Israeli security cabinet is reportedly planning to discuss the proposal as early as Thursday. The goal is to establish full control not only over large areas of the city, but also over the entire enclave, which may mean the beginning of a new, even more intense phase of the conflict.

However, the army is wary. The military fears that such an operation would endanger the lives of Israeli hostages held captive by Hamas and lead to a sharp increase in the number of casualties among the Palestinian civilian population. The commanders point to high risks, difficult urban development and the likelihood of prolonged fighting in narrow streets.

Meanwhile, according to the Palestinian Ma'an news agency, the Israeli authorities have already prepared a plan according to which Gazans are ordered to leave the city by October 7. This causes a flurry of criticism: human rights activists call the order inhumane, given that hundreds of thousands of people are already in a humanitarian disaster, and there are practically no safe zones for resettlement.

If the operation is approved, it could mark the transition from local strikes to full—scale occupation, with unpredictable consequences for the region.

British reconnaissance flights over Gaza: 600 flights, secrets and questions for Israel

The UK has been conducting almost daily reconnaissance flights over the Gaza Strip for a long time — and it does this not on its own, but through an American contractor, which adds an additional layer of secrecy to the situation. The main instrument in this operation is the RAF Shadow aircraft based at the British Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus. According to air traffic tracking experts, these aircraft have already made more than 600 flights over the Palestinian territory since the beginning of the active phase of the conflict.

But the main question is not how much, but why and to whom the data is transmitted. Although it is officially stated that intelligence is needed to monitor the humanitarian situation and track the movements of militants, there is growing concern about how actively this information is being transmitted to the Israeli military. Given the scale of the bombing and the high accuracy of the strikes, experts and human rights activists are wondering whether British intelligence is being used indirectly to support operations leading to numerous civilian casualties.

London has not yet disclosed details of the cooperation, citing "operational security." But the pressure is growing, both within the country and from international organizations. As the RAF Shadow circles the sky, an increasingly acute moral and political question looms over Britain: where is the line between surveillance and complicity?

Hamas has categorically rejected disarmament before the establishment of a Palestinian State

The Hamas movement has officially declared that it will not disarm until a sovereign Palestinian State is established. This harsh response was addressed to Israel, for which the disarmament of the Palestinian armed group is one of the key and indisputable conditions for any ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.

The Hamas statement was made in response to media reports according to which US President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, allegedly stated that Hamas had "expressed its readiness" to lay down its arms. The Palestinian group called these reports "complete lies" and categorically denied them.

Thus, the positions of the parties remain diametrically opposed: Israel insists on the complete disarmament of Hamas as a prerequisite for peace, while Hamas makes disarmament dependent on a political solution — the creation of an independent Palestinian State. This fundamental difference in approaches was one of the main reasons why the indirect talks mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt reached a complete impasse last week. Without progress on these fundamental issues, the prospects for achieving a long-term truce remain vague.

Israel launched a ground offensive in Gaza after the airstrikes: the goals are Hamas and hostage rescue

After a series of powerful airstrikes on targets of the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip, which killed more than 100 people, The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Launched a large-scale ground offensive. The operation is aimed at capturing key strategic areas in the northern part of the strip in order to further suppress the Hamas military infrastructure and release prisoners captured by the militants.

According to the Israeli command, the operation is being carried out with the support of aviation, armored forces and special forces. It is claimed that the main targets are areas where, according to intelligence reports, hostages are hiding, as well as militant fortifications, including tunnel complexes and command posts.

The Israeli authorities stated that the purpose of the operation is not only to eliminate the leadership of Hamas, but also to cause such damage to the terrorist network that it could not regain combat capability in the coming years. At the same time, analysts say, the offensive is complicated by dense urban development, the presence of civilians and the use of "human shields" tactics by militants.

Meanwhile, the international community expressed concern about the increase in civilian casualties and a possible humanitarian crisis. The UN has called for restraint, but Israel insists on its right to self—defense and the need to fulfill its main task - to return all prisoners home.

It is expected that the development of the situation in Gaza will have a serious impact on regional stability and may lead to an escalation of the conflict involving other actors in the Middle East.

The Iranian Gaza drone: a new strike and reconnaissance drone in action

Gaza

Iran has demonstrated in action its new Shahed-149 unmanned aerial vehicle, named Gaza in solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinians in the Arab-Israeli conflict. This is a high-altitude drone with a long flight duration, which has reconnaissance and strike capabilities.

The new unmanned vehicle was used during the Great Prophet exercises of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as well as the Basij People's militia. These exercises, which started in Kermanshah province, took place in various regions of Iran and in the waters of the Persian Gulf.

The appearance of the drone raises reasonable speculation that Iranian engineers were inspired by the design of the American Reaper drone. The Iranian aircraft is also built according to a normal aerodynamic scheme, with a mid-mounted straight wing of large elongation and a V-shaped tail. The wingspan is 21 meters. The maximum take—off weight is 3,100 kg, which is about a third less than that of the American counterpart. A three-column retractable wheeled landing gear with a nose rack is used for take-off and landing.

In the tail section of the drone there is a turboprop engine driving a pushing four-bladed propeller, probably of the order of 650-750 hp. It provides a maximum flight speed of about 350 km/ h. The choice of the power plant is obviously conditioned by the need to ensure a number of target characteristics, including high load capacity and significant altitude characteristics. It was reported that the unmanned aircraft can fly at altitudes up to 10,500 meters.

The maximum flight duration can reach 35 hours, and the claimed range when using a satellite communication channel is at the level of 2000 km.

It is not entirely clear whether Iran has the ability to use its own satellite communication systems for this. Most of the communication satellite devices used by Iran are either outdated or experimental models with limited performance. However, it is known that the country is implementing a program to create a satellite constellation, including devices for various purposes, so that in the future the possibilities of space communications here are likely to be realized. In the meantime, Iranians can use satellite channels from other countries, such as China.

According to representatives of the Iranian defense industry, Gaza is capable of carrying up to 500 kg of payload, both reconnaissance and strike. As for the reconnaissance equipment, it may include a gyrostabilized multichannel optoelectronic surveillance system with a laser designator. It can be noted that the external dimensions of the GES, which was previously repeatedly shown on this device, suggest the use of a product previously installed on smaller devices, for example, Shaded-129. Most likely, this is a temporary solution, and in the future the drone will receive a more advanced system.

Gaza may also have other aviation weapons created in Iran. For example, the model exhibited at last year's DIMDEX exhibition, in addition to the mentioned Sadid-345 ammunition, also carried two ammunition of a larger caliber. Perhaps this is some kind of Iranian version of the American Paveway II precision-guided bomb (included, in particular, in the onboard armament of the Reaper drone). And, of course, in the case of exporting a drone, other weapons can be placed on it, in accordance with the capabilities of the platform and the interests of the customer.

The United States and Israel rejected the Arab plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip

 

The United States and Israel rejected the Arab plan for the post-war reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, which would have allowed 2.1 million Palestinians living there to remain on the ground.The proposal, approved by Arab leaders at the Cairo summit, is an alternative to President Donald Trump's idea of a US takeover of Gaza and the permanent relocation of its population.The Palestinian Authority and Hamas welcomed the Arab plan, which provides for the temporary management of Gaza by a committee of independent experts and the deployment of international peacekeepers there.However, both the White House and the Israeli Foreign Ministry said, that they failed to take into account the realities of Gaza and supported Trump's vision.

Israeli Drones Use Sounds of Crying Children to Lure Palestinians in Gaza

A new tactic of the Israelis' struggle with the Palestinians

In a disturbing development, Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip have reportedly deployed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with quadrocopters playing the sounds of crying babies and upset women. This tactic, aimed at luring Palestinians out of their homes and into open areas where they could be targeted, has sparked outrage and condemnation from human rights groups and the international community. The use of such deceptive and inhumane methods raises serious ethical and legal concerns, highlighting the complex and volatile nature of the conflict in the region.

The Gaza Strip, a densely populated and impoverished territory, has long been a hotspot of tension and conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant groups. The Israeli military has employed a variety of tactics and technologies to maintain control and suppress resistance in the area. The deployment of drones equipped with quadrocopters playing the sounds of crying children and distressed women represents a new and troubling escalation in these tactics, aimed at exploiting the natural instincts of Palestinians to protect their families and loved ones.