Israel Continues Military Operations Against Hamas and Hezbollah Despite Ceasefire Tensions

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Sunday that Israel would undertake "everything necessary" to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding in Lebanon and Hamas from reestablishing in Gaza.

Throughout the past week, Israel has conducted strikes on multiple targets in neighboring Lebanon, with the Israeli military announcing on Saturday that it had targeted Hezbollah launchers and military installations.

Gaza's civil defence agency reported that 21 individuals were killed and many others wounded in several Israeli air strikes on Saturday, as both Hamas and Israel exchanged accusations of breaching the tenuous ceasefire that has been in effect since October 10.

"We are continuing to strike terrorism on several fronts," Netanyahu stated as he commenced a cabinet meeting.

"This weekend, the IDF (Israeli military) struck in Lebanon, and we will continue to do everything necessary to prevent Hezbollah from re-establishing its threat capability against us.

"This is also what we are doing in the Gaza Strip. Since the ceasefire, Hamas has not stopped violating it, and we are acting accordingly."

Saturday marked one of the most lethal days since the implementation of the US-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas, following two years of conflict.

The Israeli military stated that an "armed terrorist" had traversed the so-called yellow line—the boundary within the Gaza Strip behind which Israeli forces have withdrawn—and opened fire on Israeli soldiers.

In response, the military then "began striking terror targets in the Gaza Strip," it announced.

Netanyahu asserted on Sunday that Hamas had made "several attempts" to infiltrate beyond the yellow line to "try to harm our soldiers".

"We have thwarted this with great force and also retaliated and exacted a very heavy price. That includes many terrorists we eliminated," he further stated.

Netanyahu declared it an "absolute lie" that Israel required external approval before taking military action.

"We decide independently of any factor, and that is how it should be. Israel is responsible for its own security," he emphasized.

The Israeli military and the Shin Bet domestic security agency claimed that Saturday's strikes on Gaza "eliminated the head of supply and equipment in Hamas's production headquarters".

Alaa Haddadeh "operated to transfer weapons from Hamas's headquarters to battalion and field commanders", according to a joint statement.