By  The Media Line Staff

Israel intensified its military operations in Gaza on Tuesday, killing at least 21 Palestinians, as violence escalated with Hezbollah on the northern front.

The strikes, part of a broader campaign against Hamas, hit residential areas in Beit Hanoun, resulting in 15 fatalities, including women and children, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense Authority.

In a separate incident, an Israeli drone strike near a UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) clinic in Deir al-Balah killed six people and injured others, some critically. Medical sources at Al-Aqsa Hospital reported severe injuries among the wounded. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that operations around Jabalia are ongoing, with troops focusing on “neutralizing the threat” posed by Hamas.

The broader offensive is a response to the October 7 Hamas assault on southern Israel, which left 1,200 Israelis dead and about 250 taken hostage. The campaign has led to significant destruction and rising Palestinian casualties, with Gaza health officials reporting a death toll of 43,665.

The conflict extended to the Israel-Lebanon border, where Israeli airstrikes on the village of Tefahta killed five people. Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed the fatalities but did not clarify whether the victims were civilians or Hezbollah members. Israel claims its attacks target Hezbollah fighters. Lebanese state media reported the strike hit a residential house.

Hezbollah, in turn, launched multiple rocket attacks on northern Israel. In the city of Nahariya, two men in their 40s were killed instantly when a rocket struck. Magen David Adom emergency responders attempted resuscitation but were unsuccessful. Two additional people were wounded in nearby Kibbutz Kabri by shrapnel from another strike. The Israeli military reported a total of 10 rockets launched from Lebanon, some intercepted, while others hit populated areas in the Western Galilee.