Israeli army storms al-Khair hospital; Houthis attack US military vessel; Israeli strikes in south Lebanon kill one, injure three: Day 108 of Hamas-Israel war

Thank you for following our LIVE coverage from day 108 of the Hamas-Israel war.

We'll be back tomorrow with more news updates and analysis, right here at L'Orient Today.

Hezbollah announces the killing of one of its fighters, Haidar Hussein Ibrahim from the southern Lebanese border village of Adaisseh, Marjayoun district.

As usual, Hezbollah did not specify the time or place of death. According to our count, 167 Hezbollah fighters have been killed since the start of the war in October.

Yemen's Iran-allied Houthi movement says its forces launched a missile attack on American military cargo ship Ocean Jazz in the Gulf of Aden, Reuters reports.

It did not say when or precisely where the attack took place, or if any damage was caused, and there was no immediate comment or confirmation from the US military.

"The Yemeni armed forces continue to retaliate to any American or British aggression against our country by targeting all sources of threat in the Red and Arab Sea," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement.

👉 Read more here.

Palestinians, who fled Khan Younis due to the Israeli ground operation, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, arrive in a car in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, earlier today. (Credit: Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters)

Today, Israeli troops advanced for the first time into al-Mawasi district near the Mediterranean Coast, west of Khan Younis, the largest city in southern Gaza, Reuters reports. There, the army stormed al-Khair hospital, arresting medical staff, impeding even further the decimated health care system's efforts to rescue and treat casualties from what residents are calling the most intense fighting in southern Gaza since the start of the war.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said Israeli tanks had also surrounded another Khan Younis hospital, al-Amal, headquarters of the rescue agency, which had lost contact with its staff there.

In Nasser Hospital, the only major hospital still accessible in Khan Younis and the largest still functioning in all of Gaza, an emergency doctor interviewed by Reuters said he hadn't slept for 30 hours and was treating 10-11 patients in a four-bed ICU.

👉 Read more about current conditions on the ground in southern Gaza here. 

The municipality of Majdal Slem in Marjayoun district warned its residents in a statement of unexploded missiles at a house that was bombed earlier today, advising them to stay away from the site of the strike. 

The municipality also stated that the Lebanese Army is addressing the situation. Earlier, a house in Majdal Slem was targeted in an Israeli attack. Four people were hospitalized, one of whom died.

An update from southern Lebanon from the last 30 minutes:

• A house on the southern Lebanese border village of Aitaroun, Bint Jbeil district, was just bombed, according to a resident of the village speaking with L'Orient Today's correspondent in the south. It is not known yet whether there were any casualties from the strike.

• The Israeli army targeted the southern Lebanese border villages of Yaroun, Maroun al-Ras, Ramyeh and Aita al-Chaab, a security source told L'Orient Today.

• The Israeli army targeted the outskirts of Aitaroun, Bint Jbeil district, eyewitnesses and a security source told our correspondent.

🔴 A medical source told L'Orient Today that among the four people taken to the hospital following the Israeli army strike on a house in Majdal Slem, one has been pronounced dead.

🔴 BREAKING: The Israeli army bombed a house in Majdal Selm, Marjayoun district, a security source told our correspondent in the south.

A medical source told L'Orient Today that four people were taken to the hospital while first-responders were still searching for victims in the rubble. The source has said it is unclear whether any of the casualties are life-threatening.

Updates from southern Lebanon over the 30 minutes:

• The Israeli army targeted the outskirts of Ramyeh and Majdil Zoun in Bint Jbeil district, residents of the village told our correspondent in the south, Muntasser Abdallah.

• The Israeli army shelled the outskirts of Yaroun, Bint Jbeil district, according to residents from the village.

• The Israeli army bombed the outskirts of Aita al-Shaab, Qouzah, and Beit Leif, in Bint Jbeil district, a security source told L'Orient Today.

Updates from southern Lebanon over the last 30 minutes:

• The Israeli army shelled the western outskirts of the southern Lebanese border village of Mais al-Jabal, Marjayoun district, residents of the village told L'Orient Today.

• The Israeli army bombed the outskirts of the southern Lebanese border villages of Dhaira, Naqoura, and Tyr Harfa in Sour district, according to residents.

Pictures from the funeral of one of Hezbollah's fighters in the southern Lebanese village of Nabatiyeh al-Fawka, earlier today. (Credit: Hezbollah media office)

Pictures from the funeral of one of Hezbollah's fighters in the southern Lebanese village of Nabatiyeh al-Fawka, earlier today. (Credit: Hezbollah media office)

Britain has sanctioned individuals linked to Hamas, including financiers and leaders of the Palestinian militant group, saying the measures would help cut off its funding, including that from Iran, Reuters reports.

The move was taken in coordination with the United States which issued new sanctions earlier today, targeting individuals linked to Hamas and an individual linked to Iraq's Fly Baghdad airline, according to the US Treasury Department's website.

The British sanctions target Zuheir Shamlakh, a man known as Hamas' "main money changer," and a key figure involved in the group's shift towards cryptocurrencies who helped transfer large sums of money from Iran to Hamas ahead of the group's Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, Britain's foreign office said. A senior official of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another group also active in Gaza, 

"These sanctions send a clear message to Hamas — the UK and our partners are committed to ensuring there is no hiding place for those financing terrorist activities," British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said.

About 20 people, relatives of Israelis being held hostage in Gaza, stormed a parliamentary committee session in Jerusalem today, demanding that the lawmakers do more to try to free their loved ones, Reuters reports. There is growing domestic dissent in Israel and protests are gaining popularity.

One woman held up pictures of three family members who were among the 253 people seized in the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7. Some 130 remain in captivity after others were brought home in a November truce.

"Just one I'd like to get back alive, one out of three!" the woman protester cried after pushing into the Knesset Finance Committee discussion. Other protesters held up signs reading: "You will not sit here while they die there."

Over the last week, across Israel thousands of people protested demanding re-elections, there have been several actions by those calling for more effort towards releasing hostages, and there are even anti-war protests, notably in Haifa, by Israeli-Jewish groups calling for a cease-fire.

👉 Read more here.

Here are updates from the last 30 minutes in southern Lebanon:

• The Israeli army bombed the southern Lebanese village of Rashaya al-Fokhar in Hasbaya district, residents of the village told L'Orient Today's correspondent in the south.

• Hezbollah announced that it attacked an Israeli position in the disputed Shebaa Farms at 3:30 p.m. and said they "directly hit the target."

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says that Israel should "dramatically increase the intensity of the war," regardless of "the pressures from the US and others," Haaretz reports.

Speaking during a meeting of the far-right political party National-Religious Party–Religious Zionism, Smotrich said: "Instead of making … reckless moves that will cost us a lot of blood, we must continue courageously despite the pressures from the US and others, dramatically increase the intensity of the war, and increase pressure by all means on Hamas and their supporters in Gaza – including endangering our soldiers for the mission of returning all our hostages."

He is also quoted as saying, "the statement that it is now possible to release hostages and go back after a month or two to fighting and destroying Hamas is science fiction, a total deception." 

The Saudi ambassador to Lebanon, Walid Boukhari, met with the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, according to a post on the Saudi embassy's official X account.

"The main political developments in Lebanon and on the regional scene were discussed, as well as bilateral relations," the embassy said.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant asserted that "even if Hezbollah ceases fire unilaterally, Israel will not stop fighting until it can guarantee the return of northerners [of Israel] to their homes and a change in the security situation at the border” with Lebanon.

Gallant made the statement to French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu during a meeting at the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv, according to Haaretz.

The owner of the house targeted by an Israeli raid earlier today in the village of Taybeh was killed, medical sources told our correspondent in southern Lebanon. Rescue workers pulled his body from the rubble.

For its part, Hezbollah announced, in a statement, the death of one of its members, Ali Said Yehya, from the village of Taybeh, without giving further details.

This death brings to 166 the number of Hezbollah members killed since October 8 in Syria and Lebanon, according to our count. 

In a separate statement, Hezbollah took credit for an attack targeting an Israeli patrol near the border, adjacent to Ramieh (Bint Jbeil), at 12:30 p.m.

Israeli machine-gun and artillery fire targeted the outskirts of Adaisseh (Marjayoun), reports our correspondent in South Lebanon, quoting local residents.

Israeli fighter jets also struck the outskirts of Maroun al-Ras (Bint Jbeil), according to local residents.

Israeli missiles also targeted the outskirts of Awaida Hill (Marjayoun), where the funeral of a Hezbollah fighter, Sameh Assad, is being held. Assad died this morning from his wounds after an Israeli strike the previous day on Kfar Kila.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to distance himself from media speculation that a new truce in Gaza was in the works, telling parents of hostages held by Hamas that the Palestinian group had not made any progress in reaching a solid proposal.

“There is no real proposal from Hamas,” said Netanyahu, according to the Reuters agency, which cites his press office. “I say this as clearly as possible because there are so many erroneous statements which are certainly distressing for you,” he added, addressing the families of the hostages.

Israeli artillery fire targeted the outskirts of Houla (Marjayoun), reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon, citing residents. 

Israeli artillery targeted agricultural infrastructure in Wazzani (Hasbaya) and caused damage.

A missile launched by an Israeli drone also fell behind the Khiam detention center (Marjayoun), without causing damage, residents of the region told our correspondent.

The strike which targeted the outskirts of Taybeh (Marjayoun) earlier completely destroyed a house in the village, reports our correspondent in South Lebanon.

A public school and other homes located near the targeted area were damaged, the president of the Taybeh municipality told L'Orient Today, noting that no students were in the school. According to him, this is the first time that the village has been targeted by an Israeli raid.

According to our correspondent, rescuers from Al-Risala Scouts, first responders affiliated with the Amal Movement, are inspecting the scene.

At least 40 people were killed during an Israeli military strike in Khan Younis, reports Haaretz, citing medical sources in the Palestinian enclave.

Earlier, the Palestinian Red Crescent said its ambulances were "unable to reach the injured in Khan Younis." "The Israeli occupying forces are targeting anyone who tries to move through the region," it said on X.

In southern Lebanon:

Israeli artillery fire targeted the eastern outskirts of Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun), reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Three Israeli rockets also hit the outskirts of Kfar Kila, in the same area.

The leader of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, estimated, during an internal party meeting, that "if the Lebanese army was deployed at the southern border, the country and its citizens could have avoided what is currently happening," According to comments reported by the state-run National News Agency.

Gaza's health ministry announced that 25,295 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed since the start of the war on Oct. 7, AFP reports.

The ministry added that 63,000 people had been injured and that 190 people were killed in the last 24 hours.

Israeli warplanes carried out strikes on the area located between the villages of Taybeh and Qantara (Marjayoun), reports our correspondent in southern Lebanon, citing a security source.

Israeli artillery fire also hit the northern outskirts of Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun).

Hezbollah announced that it had targeted, at 11:15 a.m., Israeli soldiers gathered in the vicinity of the Israeli position of "Rahib," located opposite the Lebanese town of Aita al-Shaab in the Bint Jbeil district.

In southern Lebanon:

Israeli warplanes hit Aazieh Hill, located between Deir Mimas and Kfar Kila, as well as Oweida Hill, between Taybeh and Adaisseh, in the Marjayoun district, eyewitnesses reported.

Residents of Marwahine (Sour) reported an aerial bombardment and artillery fire. 

A house on the outskirts of Chihine (Sour) was bombed by Israeli aircraft, residents report to our correspondent in southern Lebanon. 

Since 10 a.m., Israeli artillery has bombarded the surroundings of the Khiam plain (Marjayoun) and the outskirts of Boustan and Jabal Blat (Sour).

Lebanese Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri warned that Lebanon must not “get dragged into” a war that follows Israel’s “timing .”

Berri also said, in an interview with the daily al-Joumhouriya, that "the proposals that Israel wants to promote regarding arrangements in the border area, and which are in its interest (such as the withdrawal of Hezbollah towards the north until in Litani), are rejected by Lebanon.”

Find Berri’s statements in the press here.

Hundreds of people participated Monday morning in Tehran in the funeral of three of the five members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard members killed Saturday in a strike blamed on Israel in Syria. The tribute was paid in a residential area in the north of the capital around a platform erected outside with portraits of the five Iranians killed and Qassem Soleimani, the former head of the Quds Force, the branch responsible for the IRGC's external operations, who was killed in 2020 by an American strike in Iraq, noted an AFP journalist.

Hezbollah claimed Sameh Asad, who succumbed to his wounds Monday morning after being injured by an Israeli airstrike on Kfar Kila last night, as one of its members. Medical sources had confirmed to L’Orient Today earlier the death of Asad.

The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip "could not be worse," European Union chief diplomat Josep Borrell said on Monday, adding that "certainly Israel's way as it tries to destroy Hamas is wrong," Reuters reported.

"From now on I will not talk about the peace process, but I want a two-state-solution process," Borell told journalists ahead of an EU foreign ministers' meeting, according to Reuters.

The situation in South Lebanon this morning:

- Israeli artillery shelled the southern outskirts of the town of Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun) and Maroun al-Ras (Bint Jbeil), according to local residents.

- Aitaroun and the outskirts of Maroun al-Ras, both located in the Bint Jbeil district, were targeted by Israeli artillery, local residents told our correspondent. Both towns were also targeted by Israel last night.

- Hamas, in a statement this morning, mourned the death of one of its members Mohammed Azzam, who succumbed to the injuries that he sustained after an Israeli airstrike targeted their car last Wednesday, in the Qleileh plain, south of Sour.

Here is what happened last night in southern Lebanon:

-⁠ ⁠Israel targeted the south of Yaroun, in the Bint Jbeil district, with four shells, security sources told L’Orient Today.

- Two Israeli artillery shells fell between Blida and Mhaibib in the Marjayoun district, according to security sources.

- Israeli artillery shelling on the outskirts of Jibbin, Tayr Harfa, Alma al-Shaab and the outskirts of Naqoura, all located in the Sour district, security sources reported.

- Heavy machine gun fire targeted towards the area at Ras al-Naqoura (Sour), security sources reported.

- Hezbollah said that its fighters targeted at midnight an Israeli force in the vicinity of the Israeli Zarit barracks (facing the Lebanese border village of Marwahin in Bint Jbeil district). Hezbollah claimed that the Israeli force "was preparing to carry out an aggression inside Lebanese territory."

The Palestinian Red Crescent claimed this morning on X that “Israeli tanks were approaching Al-Amal Hospital” in Khan Younis. It also said that it had “completely lost contact with its teams in Khan Younis due to the land invasion.”

An Israeli strike on Sunday on Kfar Kila (Marjayoun) left one victim who later succumbed to his wounds.

A medical source confirmed to L'Orient Today the death of Sameh Yehya on Monday morning, who suffered from serious injuries.

It was not immediately clear whether the victim was a civilian or a Hezbollah fighter. 

The European foreign ministers met in Brussels, separately, Israel and Palestine's foreign ministers Israel Katz and Riyad al-Maliki to discuss a political solution to the conflict.

The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sebastien Lecornu, is due to meet families of Hamas hostages on Monday, before meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant.

On the night of Sunday to Monday, relatives of the hostages and supporters gathered near the official residence of Benjamin Netanyahu, in Jerusalem, to demand an agreement for the release of those being held in Gaza.

"We are hearing about a [proposal] from the United States, Qatar and Egypt. We ask our government to listen, to sit at the negotiating table and decide to accept this agreement or any other agreement that would suit Israel,” Gilad Korenbloom, whose son is hostage in Gaza, said.

"As citizens, we all have a contract with the country. We serve the country, we pay our taxes, we send our children to serve the country. In return for that service and those taxes, we expect the government to ensure our safety,” added John Polin, also the father of a hostage. “On the morning of Oct. 7, this government and this Prime Minister completely abandoned us ... We ask the government to play its role, to propose an agreement, to carry it through and to bring back the remaining hostages alive,” he added.

The Israeli army continues to bomb Khan Younis on Monday, the epicenter of the clashes in southern Gaza.

During the night from Sunday to Monday, witnesses reported deadly Israeli strikes towards Khan Younis and even fierce fighting between soldiers and Hamas fighters. 

Make sure to read the Morning Brief before you start so that you can ensure that you are caught up with what has been happening.

Morning Brief

Israeli strike on Bint Jbeil, Parliament 2024 budget meeting, depositors’ rights activists protest: Everything you need to know to start your Monday

Good morning!

Thank you for joining us for our live coverage of the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel in Gaza.