Israel intensifies attacks in Gaza, strikes ports in Yemen

Israel launched dozens of airstrikes across northern and southern Gaza on Friday. Israeli officials described the airstrikes as a prelude to a larger campaign aimed at pressuring Hamas terrorists to release hostages.

Israel also struck two ports in Yemen on Friday that it said were used by the Houthi terrorist group to transfer weapons.

The strikes across the Gaza Strip came as President Donald Trump wrapped up a visit to the region that included stops in three Gulf states but not Israel.

Speaking to reporters in Abu Dhabi on the final day of his trip, Trump said he was looking to resolve a range of global crises, including Gaza. “We’re looking at Gaza,” he said. “And we’ve got to get that taken care of. A lot of people are starving. A lot of people are — there’s a lot of bad things going on.”

In Israel, families of hostages said they awoke Friday with “heavy hearts” to reports of increased attacks and called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “join hands” with Trump’s efforts to free hostages. On Monday, Israeli-American Edan Alexander was released after backdoor U.S.-Hamas diplomacy.

In southern Gaza, Israel struck the outskirts of Deir al-Balah and the city of Khan Younis. It said it hit anti-tank missile posts and military structures.

In northern Gaza, the attacks sent people fleeing from the Jabaliya refugee camp and the town of Beit Lahiya. Israel said it eliminated several terrorists who were operating in an observation compound.

There were no immediate reports of casualties after the strikes on Yemen, which were acknowledged on the Houthis’ satellite channel. Israel’s military said that during Trump’s visit to the region it had intercepted several missiles fired from Yemen toward Israeli airspace.

“There will be more to come,” said Netanyahu, who met Friday with top military officials overseeing the strikes.

An Israeli official said the strikes in Gaza on Friday were preparatory actions in the lead-up to a larger operation and to send a message to Hamas that it will begin soon if there isn’t an agreement to release the 58 hostages still in Gaza since the October 2023 Hamas-led terrorist attack that launched the war. The official was not authorized to brief media and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The same official said that Cabinet members were meeting Friday to assess progress in ceasefire talks, and to decide on next steps.

Netanyahu vowed earlier in the week to escalate pressure on Hamas, with the aim of destroying the terrorist group that governs Gaza. In comments released by Netanyahu’s office Tuesday, the prime minister said Israeli forces were days away from entering Gaza “with great strength to complete the mission … It means destroying Hamas.”

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed Friday that strikes in Gaza earlier in the week targeted a key Hamas leader in Gaza, Mohammed Sinwar, although there has been no word on whether he was hit. He is the brother of the slain former leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar — a mastermind of the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack.

In the Oct. 7 attack, Hamas-led terrorists killed 1,200 people and abducted 251 others. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 53,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants.

Of the hostages that remain in Gaza, Israel believes as many as 23 are still alive, although Israeli authorities have expressed concern for the status of three of those.