Israel’s military campaign against Hamas escalated further on Sunday as Israeli forces destroyed another high-rise residential tower in Gaza City,
Israel’s military campaign against Hamas escalated further on Sunday as Israeli forces destroyed another high-rise residential tower in Gaza City, displacing hundreds of Palestinians.
Meanwhile, in a dramatic development, a drone fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels breached Israeli air defenses and struck Ramon International Airport near Eilat — marking one of the group’s most significant attacks on Israeli territory to date.
Gaza Offensive Intensifies: Civilians Displaced as High-Rise Leveled
The Israeli military said it targeted the Al-Ra’iya Tower, a seven-story building in southern Gaza City, claiming it was used by Hamas for intelligence operations. The structure had sheltered hundreds of displaced Palestinians.
It is the third high-rise building leveled in three days, as Israel intensifies efforts to capture what it calls Hamas’ “last major stronghold” in northern Gaza.
Military spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued a warning ahead of the strike, urging civilians in the area — including those living in tents — to evacuate. Still, human rights groups say warnings have often come too late or left civilians with nowhere to go.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza said it was still assessing casualties. Earlier Sunday, strikes on a school-turned-shelter and residential areas killed at least 13 people, including six children and three women, according to officials at Shifa Hospital.
Drone From Yemen Hits Israeli Airport
In a significant escalation, a drone launched from Yemen by Houthi militants struck Ramon Airport, just 19 kilometers from Eilat. The drone evaded Israeli air defenses, smashing into the airport’s passenger terminal, shattering glass, and causing minor injuries to at least one civilian.
Although flights were temporarily diverted, the airport resumed normal operations within hours. The attack briefly shut down commercial airspace in southern Israel.
The Houthis claimed responsibility, calling the strike a direct response to the Israeli assassination of their Prime Minister, Ahmed al-Rahawi, in a recent airstrike on Yemen’s capital, Sana’a.
“We will escalate our military operations,” said Houthi spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, warning that Israeli airport “will be continuously targeted.”
Israel Admits Defense Failure
The Israeli military said it had intercepted three other Houthi drones near the Egyptian border but acknowledged that the drone that hit Ramon Airport was not identified as hostile in time to trigger air raid sirens.
The incident marks a worrying breach of Israel’s multilayered missile defense system, designed to intercept threats from Iran-backed groups across the region.
Security analysts warned the strike could indicate a tactical shift in Houthi strategy, including the use of cluster munitions and warheads capable of slipping past Israel’s radar.
Supreme Court Orders Better Conditions for Palestinian Detainees
In a rare legal blow to Israel’s security establishment, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled on Sunday that the state is failing to provide adequate food to Palestinian detainees, ordering authorities to “guarantee basic living conditions” in line with Israeli and international law.
The case, brought by local human rights groups, cited widespread malnutrition and starvation in prisons holding Palestinians since the war began.
Netanyahu Doubles Down Despite Protests and Diplomatic Pressure
Despite mounting international criticism and growing protests inside Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Sunday to continue the military operation in Gaza City, calling it a fight against the “Iranian axis.”
“We are dismantling the last significant Hamas stronghold — Gaza City,” Netanyahu said. “I prefer victory over our enemies to appeasing global opinion.”
Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv on Saturday, calling for a ceasefire and the return of hostages still held in Gaza. Protesters also warned that a full-scale assault could deepen the humanitarian crisis for civilians trapped in Gaza City.
Civilians in Gaza: “Nowhere Left to Go”
The United Nations estimates only 41,000 of the city’s 1 million residents have fled south, despite Israeli claims of over 100,000 evacuations.
Many Palestinians cite the lack of shelter, security, and basic services in the south as reasons for staying — or even returning to combat zones in the north.
“Every time we move, we’re displaced again,” said Shireen Al-Lada’, whose family fled eastern Gaza City after their home in Zeitoun was destroyed.
“We’re tired. We just want to stop running.”
Others, like Ahmad Mousa, say they followed Israeli instructions only to find the humanitarian zone in the south overwhelmed and unlivable.
“We brought everything, but where should we stay?” he asked. “There’s no space, no safety — nothing.”
Death Toll Rises as War Drags On
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 64,000 people have been killed since the war began — over half of them women and children. The ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
The conflict shows no signs of slowing, with Houthi rebels, Hezbollah, and other Iran-backed groups increasingly active — and regional fears growing that a wider Middle East war may be approaching.
