Live blog: Arab League slams Israeli siege of Gaza, demands aid for enclave

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Arab foreign ministers have denounced Israel's siege of Gaza following the shock attack by Hamas on Israel, demanding that aid be "immediately" allowed to enter the blockaded enclave.

Israel has imposed a "complete siege" on Gaza, cutting off the water supply, food, electricity and other essential supplies, after Saturday's massive assault by Hamas fighters that has killed hundreds on both sides.

On Wednesday, as Israel kept up its bombardment of targets in the crowded and impoverished coastal enclave for a fifth day, Arab foreign ministers met at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo.

They called for the "immediate" dispatch of food, fuel and humanitarian aid to the impoverished and densely populated coastal enclave, and urged Israel to reconsider its "unjust decision to cut electricity supply and water to Gaza".

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1831 GMT — China supports UN call for Gaza humanitarian corridor

China has backed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' demand to establish a humanitarian corridor to help civilians in Gaza as Israel ratcheted up military strikes.

"I strongly support the appeal of @antonioguterres. A humanitarian corridor must be in place immediately to provide help to all those in need," Chinese Ambassador to UN Zhang Jun wrote on X.

1821 GMT — Israel army says rules out Lebanon 'infiltration'

The Israeli army has said an "error" was behind reports of a suspected "aerial infiltration" from Lebanon, and that a rocket alert in the north was due to a launch from Gaza.

"There are no launches at this point from Lebanon. There are no alerts," army spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a televised statement.

"This has been an error that we are looking into... We will check whether it's a technical malfunction or a human error."

1810 GMT — Israeli settlers attack, kill Palestinians in occupied West Bank: ministry

At least four Palestinians have been killed as armed Israeli settlers attacked a town south of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said.

In a separate incident, a Palestinian man was killed by Israeli army fire near Bethlehem, the ministry said.

The latest fatalities bring to 28 the Palestinian death toll in the occupied West Bank as Israeli strikes continue to pound Gaza after a surprise attack by Hamas on Saturday.

1816 GMT — Despite refutations from Israeli military, headlines that Hamas 'beheaded babies' persist

Despite international journalists and news agencies debunking allegations that Palestinian resistance group Hamas "beheaded babies" in Israel, the claim continues to make headlines in Israeli and Western media, receiving millions of social media views.

Even as thousands of people have been killed in the conflict between the Israeli army and Gaza-based Hamas' armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, the disinformation front of the conflict persists on social media.

Israeli news channel i24 alleged on Tuesday that the Qassam Brigades, "beheaded many Israeli babies" during Saturday's attack.

But when Anadolu Agency contacted the Israeli military over the phone to ask about the claims, their spokesperson unit said: "We have seen the news, but we do not have any details or confirmation about that."

1811 GMT — US 'actively working' to establish safe corridor for Gaza civilians: White House

The US is in active talks with Israel and Egypt to establish "safe passage" corridors for civilians in Gaza to flee ongoing Israeli airstrikes, the White House has said amid an expected ground offensive in the besieged enclave.

"We're actively discussing this with our Israeli and our Egyptian counterparts, we support safe passions for civilians. Civilians are not to blame for what Hamas has done. They didn't do anything wrong," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters at the White House.

"We are actively working on this with Egyptian and our Israeli counterparts. Civilians are protected under the laws of armed conflict, and they should be given every opportunity to avoid the fighting," he added.

1808 GMT — Number of UN refugee agency staff killed in Gaza rises

At least 11 UN staff and personnel and 30 students at UN schools have been killed in Gaza from Israeli air strikes.

"Eleven UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) staff and personnel have been killed since Saturday," spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters during a news conference.

"Meanwhile, 30 UNRWA students have also been killed and another eight have been injured," he said.

"UNRWA staff are working around the clock to respond to the needs of the displaced," he said. "However, some are overcrowded and have limited availability of food, other basic items and potable water."

1759 GMT — UN wants humanitarian corridor in Gaza

The UN wants to see a humanitarian corridor in Gaza as Israeli airstrikes resulted in displacing 263,000 people.

“We want to see a humanitarian corridor,” spokesman Stéphane Dujarric responded in a news conference about whether the UN is working on a humanitarian corridor.

He said UN Special Coordinator Tor Wennesland and United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini were in Cairo to discuss the issue.

1756 GMT — Israel cuts electricity off for Palestinian detainees: report

Israeli prison authorities have cut electricity off for Palestinian detainees in its jails, according to local media.

“Electricity has been cut off for all Palestinian prisoners,” Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said, citing senior officials in the Prison Service.

Prison Service Commissioner Katy Perry said all access to media and means of communication must be blocked to prevent guidance or instruction from being delivered by any of the prisoners.

1724 GMT — NATO chief: Israel has 'right to defend itself' but expected to be 'proportionate'

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has said Israel has the "right to defend itself" but added that any response was expected to be "proportionate."

On the most recent developments in ongoing clashes between Palestinian group Hamas and Israel, Stoltenberg said it was "important as this conflict continues to do whatever is possible to prevent the loss of innocent civilian lives."

1700 GMT — Egypt eager to keep Rafah crossing open to deliver aid to Gaza

Egypt has said it is eager to keep the Rafah crossing with Gaza open to deliver humanitarian aid to the territory.

"Our Palestinian brothers are enduring immense hardships due to the lack of basic services amidst the ongoing Israeli bombardment,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said in a joint press conference in Cairo with his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani.

"Egypt has been resolute in keeping the Rafah crossing open to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and will persist in providing all necessary humanitarian support to the Palestinian people," he added.

1633 GMT — China urges 'immediate ceasefire' in call with Palestinian official

China's envoy to the Middle East Zhai Jun has called for "an immediate ceasefire" to the Israel-Hamas conflict during a phone call with a Palestinian official, the Chinese foreign ministry said.

Zhai spoke Wednesday with Amal Jadou, the Palestinian Authority's deputy foreign minister, and said China was worried by the conflict's intensification and "deeply concerned by the serious deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in Palestine", a readout on the ministry's website said.

1629 GMT — Death toll hit 1,100 in Gaza from Israeli air strikes: Health Ministry

The death toll has risen to 1,000 from ongoing Israeli air strikes in Gaza, the Palestine Health Ministry said.

It said at least 5,339 people were also injured in the bombardment and 60 percent of the injuries have affected women and children.

Israeli forces launched a sustained and forceful military campaign against Gaza in response to a military offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israeli territories.

1629 GMT — UN chief says spillover of conflict in Israel must be avoided

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said a spillover of the conflict must be avoided and that he is concerned about reported attacks on Israel from southern Lebanon.

"I appeal to all parties, and those who have an influence over those parties, to avoid any further escalation and spillover," he told reporters.

1619 GMT — Civilians, humanitarians 'not a target': WHO

The head of the WHO said Wednesday that civilians and humanitarians should not be targeted amid rising tension between Israel and Palestinian Hamas.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’ remarks came after the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said nine staffers have been killed in air strikes in Gaza since Saturday.

1615 GMT — Turkish, German foreign ministers discuss conflict developments

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his German counterpart have discussed the latest developments in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

Fidan and Annalena Baerbock had a telephone call where they also talked about NATO expansion.

1608 GMT — Red Cross federation says five members killed in Gaza, Israel

The Red Cross federation has said five members of the world's largest humanitarian network have been killed, including four paramedics as ambulances were hit on Wednesday.

"The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is devastated to confirm the deaths of five members of our network due to the armed hostilities in Israel and the Gaza Strip," the IFRC said in a statement.

"Today, Wednesday, in two different incidents, ambulances were hit killing four Palestine Red Crescent paramedics who were helping those in need," the Geneva-based IFRC said.

1602 GMT — No sign 'additional players' looking to join attack on Israel: US

The top US military officer has said Washington had seen no signs that other regional foes of Israel were looking to attack.

"I have not seen any indications of additional players that are going to get involved to the detriment of Israel," said General Charles Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at a NATO meeting in Brussels.

1555 GMT — UK set to ban social media content related to Hamas

UK's Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan has convened a meeting with social media executives, urging them to remove violent content associated with the Hamas attack on Israel from their platforms.

The move comes as X, formerly known as Twitter, faces criticism from the EU for discussions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict on its platform, including the dissemination of fake news and the use of historical footage presented in a misleading context.

"A wave of violence and antisemitism has swept across social media. Today, I talked to platforms about how they can and must stop Hamas and supporters pushing wicked terrorism to the world. I’ve asked them to confirm in writing the actions they are taking," she said.

1532 GMT — 'No safe place to go' amid Israeli strikes on Gaza: UK charity

Humanitarian access through safe, secure routes to get to children is desperately needed in embattled Gaza as right now, nowhere is safe, the head of a UK charity for children has warned.

"Our teams and their families on the ground in Gaza are terrified; there are no safe places to go," James Denselow, head of conflict and humanitarian advocacy at Save the Children UK, told Anadolu after several days of Israeli airstrikes on the enclave.

"The killing and maiming of children, the abduction of children, attacks on their schools and hospitals are all defined by the UN as grave violations, and those responsible should be held to account for their actions," added Denselow.

1526 GMT — Israel used white phosphorus bombs in Gaza: medical sources

Israel has targeted the western port area of Gaza with several white phosphorus bombs, resulting in hundreds of cases of suffocation, Palestinian medical sources say.

The sources confirmed the attack led to hundreds of Palestinians suffering from suffocation, with a significant number of them being transported to hospitals, while others received on-site medical treatment.

1507 GMT — Blinken headed to Israel to show US solidarity

In a show of solidarity with Washington's closest Middle East ally, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due to meet senior Israeli officials in Israel, possibly including Netanyahu, to discuss further boosting military support.

He will work with regional US allies to try to secure the release of more than 100 people that Israel says Hamas holds captive, some of whom may be American citizens.

1503 GMT — Egypt warned Israel three days before Hamas attack: senior US lawmaker

Israel got a warning from Egypt of potential violence three days before Hamas caught Israeli forces off-guard in a large-scale attack, the chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee has said.

"We know that Egypt has warned the Israelis three days prior that an event like this could happen," Republican Michael McCaul told reporters following a closed-door intelligence briefing for lawmakers on the crisis.

"I don’t want to get too much into classified, but a warning was given," he said. "I think the question was at what level."

1445 GMT — Spain to boost aid to Palestine amid conflict

Spain will boost aid to Palestine, Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Jose Manuel Albares has announced.

Albares said besides arguing for humanitarian aid and cooperation for Palestine to remain at the European level, Madrid is stepping up its support.

He said Spain had budgeted $8.5 million in direct support for Palestinians this year, but the country has approved a "first package of" another $1.06 million in humanitarian aid "because we believe it is needed at this time," he told Spanish broadcaster La Sexta.

1442 GMT — Israeli bombardment of Gaza kills nine UN staffers

Nine United Nations staffers working with the UN Palestinian refugee agency have been killed in air strikes on Gaza since Saturday, the United Nations wrote on X social media platform.

Established in 1949 following the first Arab-Israeli war, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) provides public services including schooling, primary healthcare and humanitarian aid in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

1433 GMT — EU Commission chief confirms humanitarian aid for Palestine continuing

EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has reconfirmed that the EU will continue providing humanitarian assistance to Palestine.

Before the weekly reunion of EU Commissioners, top officials of the EU executive body commemorated the victims of the attacks in Israel with a minute of silence, in the presence of Israel's EU Ambassador Haim Regev.

“Our humanitarian support to the Palestinian people is not in question,” von der Leyen asserted.

She explained that the European Commission will “carefully review” the bloc’s financial assistance for Palestine as “it has never and will never go to Hamas or any terrorist entity."

1424 GMT — No security, peace in Mideast without independent Palestinian state: Jordan’s king

Jordan’s King Abdullah II has said there will be no security or peace without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

"The current dangerous escalation, violence, and aggression in the Palestinian territories serve as a clear indication that our region will not enjoy security and stability without achieving a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution,” he said in a speech.

"Our unwavering focus remains on Palestine and its cherished jewel, Jerusalem,” the monarch said. “We will not waver in defending the Palestinian legitimate interests and cause until our Palestinian brothers regain their full rights.”

1349 GMT — Netanyahu, Gantz form wartime government as Israel devastates Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Benny Gantz have announced the formation of an emergency unity government.

A joint statement said a war management cabinet will be established, made up of Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Gantz, a former defence minister.

Two observers will serve in the cabinet — lawmaker Gadi Eisenkot and the Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer.

1342 GMT — US engaged in 'contingency planning for any... scenarios'

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has said that contingency planning is underway in case the ongoing conflict intensifies.

"The president has also tasked us with engaging in contingency planning for any and all escalation scenarios," Sullivan told reporters at the White House.

"And we are now deeply engaged in that planning. And we're consulting with allies and partners as well about all of the potential scenarios that might unfold in the days ahead," he said.

1335 GMT — Putin says Israel took some 'genuinely Palestinian lands' mainly through 'use of military force'

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Israel took some "genuinely Palestinian lands" mainly through the "use of military force."

Speaking at the Russian Energy Week forum in Moscow, Putin said the Palestinian problem is "in the heart of everyone who professes Islam, and they perceive it all as a manifestation of injustice, elevated to an unthinkable degree."

"The Palestinian issue is at the heart of every person in this region. Yes, I believe that in the heart of everyone who professes Islam... Everything that is happening – not only now, but for decades – is perceived as a manifestation of injustice raised to some unthinkable degree," he said.

1313 GMT — Three Canadians died in Israel, three more reported missing

Three Canadians have died in Israel in the wake of an attack by Hamas over the weekend and Ottawa reported that three more are missing, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said.

Joly told a press conference that more than 4,700 Canadian citizens and permanent residents in Israel, besieged Gaza and the occupied West Bank had registered with the government. She did not immediately say how many wanted to be evacuated.

1308 GMT — US inflaming Middle East by sending aircraft carrier group: Putin

Putin has accused the United States of inflaming the Middle East by sending an aircraft carrier group to the region, saying "compromise solutions" were needed and that he hoped common sense would prevail.

The Kremlin chief has called the explosion of violence between Israel and the Palestinians a vivid example of the failure of US policy in the Middle East, which he says has taken no account of the needs of the Palestinians.

1302 GMT — Egypt plans to deliver aid to Gaza under partial truce — sources

Egypt has discussed plans with the United States and other countries to provide humanitarian aid through its border with Gaza under a limited ceasefire, two Egyptian security sources said.

The aid would pass through the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

1255 GMT — Israeli strike kills several Gaza paramedics: aid group

Four paramedics of the Palestinian Red Crescent have been killed in Israeli air strikes in Gaza, the humanitarian organisation said.

Three of them died when a strike "directly targeted an ambulance" of the Red Crescent north of Gaza, and the fourth in a separate strike in the east of the enclave, the aid group said.

1252 GMT — Portugal airlifts 160 nationals to Greek-administered Cyprus from Israel

Greek-administered Cyprus has received 160 foreign nationals airlifted to the island from Israel on a Portuguese military transport plane, with Austria also permitted to operate rescue flights, officials said.

Portugal has undertaken three flights from Tel Aviv to Larnaca Airport with a C-130 military transport aircraft to carry their nationals trapped in Israel.

1249 GMT — Türkiye ready to carry out any operation to evacuate its citizens from Israel, Palestine

Türkiye has completed all preparations for the safe evacuation of its citizens from Israel and Palestine amid an escalation of tensions in the region, the country's transportation and infrastructure minister said.

The Foreign Ministry is working on the evacuation of Turkish citizens from Israel and Palestine, Abdulkadir Uraloglu told the media shortly before the AK Party group meeting in Ankara.

“We are prepared to carry out all kinds of operations from the sea and air, if necessary,” he added.

1201 GMT — Hamas denies it killed children in fight with Israel

Palestinian resistance group Hamas has denied allegations that it killed civilians, including children.

"We categorically affirm the falsehood of the fabricated allegations promoted by some Western media outlets, which unprofessionally adopt the Zionist narrative full of lies and slander against our Palestinian people and their resistance, the latest of which was the claim of killing children, beheading them, and targeting civilians," the group said in a statement that was also published on its website.

The statement criticised "adopting and siding with the Zionist narrative without verification” and warned of the consequences of covering up "the crimes of the occupation and its massacres committed day and night in Gaza.”

1158 GMT — Hezbollah claims hitting Israeli military site with missiles

Lebanese group Hezbollah has announced that it targeted an Israeli military site with missiles near the southern border area of Dhayra.

In a statement, the group affirmed its commitment to delivering a “decisive response” to Israeli aggression against Lebanon.

State-run National News Agency, citing the statement, reported: “This targeting is a firm response to the Zionist attacks that occurred last Monday, resulting in the loss of some of our members.”

1151 GMT — Russia may contribute to easing tensions between Israel, Palestine: Kremlin

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said that Russia may contribute to easing tensions between Israel and Palestine.

Peskov said at a news conference in Moscow that Russian citizens are present on both sides of the conflict, and for Moscow, their safety is the "number one priority."

1129 GMT — Pope expresses concern over total siege of Gaza

Pope Francis has expressed concern over the total siege of Gaza, saying the Middle East does not need war but peace, the official Vatican News agency reported.

"I pray for those families who have seen a day of celebration turned into a day of mourning and ask for the immediate release of the hostages," said the pontiff during his general audience speech, the agency added.

Urging both parties to show restraint, he stressed: "Terrorism and extremism do not help to reach a solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, but fuel hatred, violence, and revenge, causing suffering to both sides."

1128 GMT — Police ban Palestinian solidarity rallies in Berlin

Berlin police have banned rallies in support of Palestine.

In Berlin, two solidarity rallies with Palestinians were planned for Wednesday under the banners "Solidarity with All Political Prisoners on Palestinian Prisoners Day" and "Demo in Solidarity with Palestine."

However, Berlin police issued a statement early this morning prohibiting rallies in the city, citing past experiences of popular incitement, “anti-Semitic exclamations, glorification of violence, as well as violence."

1125 GMT — International press bodies call for investigation into killing of journalists

International press bodies have expressed their concerns over the killing of journalists in the ongoing conflict, calling for an immediate investigation into deaths.

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has stressed that journalists are civilians doing important work during times of crisis and "must not be targeted by warring parties."

"Millions across the world are counting on reporters in the region to provide accurate information about the conflict. Journalists, like all civilians, must be respected and protected," Sherif Mansour, CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa program coordinator, said in a statement.

1119 GMT — Israel's 'disproportionate' attacks on Gaza could put it in global disrepute: Erdogan

Israel's recent "disproportionate and unfounded" attacks on Gaza may lead it to international disrepute, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned.

"The disproportionate and unscrupulous attacks on Gaza could bring Israel into an unexpected and undesirable place in the eyes of world public opinion,” Erdogan said at his Justice and Development (AK) Party's group meeting in the capital Ankara.

"Bombing civilian settlements, deliberately killing civilians, blocking vehicles (that are) bringing humanitarian aid to the region, and trying to present all of these as skills can only be a reflex of a (terrorist) organisation, not a state,” he said.

1109 GMT — Israel silent on safe humanitarian corridor to Gaza

The Israeli Foreign Ministry has declined to comment on Washington’s announcement of holding discussions with Tel Aviv and Cairo to establish a safe humanitarian corridor for civilians in Gaza.

An official at the ministry, requesting anonymity, told Anadolu Agency: “We have no comment on this matter at the moment.”

1049 GMT — Besieged Gaza set to go dark as only power plant runs out of fuel

Gaza’s power authority says its sole power plant will run out of fuel within hours, leaving the territory without electricity after Israel cut off supplies.

The head of the Palestinian Energy Authority, Dhafer Melhem, said the power plant will shut down after a few hours hours (at 1430 GMT).

“I received a report today stating that most of the solar cells on the roofs of homes and facilities in Gaza have been completely damaged and are unable to generate energy,” Melhem told Anadolu news agency over the phone.

Israel said it would cut off all electricity to the territory after Hamas’s unprecedented attack over the weekend.

All of Gaza’s crossings are closed, making it impossible to bring in fuel for the power plant or the generators on which residents and hospitals have long relied.

Melhem believes that Israel's current goal is to "deprive Gaza of electricity from all sources and make it an unlivable place."

0905 GMT — Israeli air strikes have killed Hamas leader's family

Palestinian resistance group Hamas has said that Israeli airstrikes have killed the father, brother and at least two other relatives of Mohammad Deif, the leader of its military wing.

An attack late on Tuesday killed his father, brother and at least two other relatives in the southern town of Khan Younis, senior Hamas official Bassem Naim confirmed to The Associated Press news agency.

The whereabouts of Deif himself have long been unknown.

Since 2002, Deif has led the Qassam Brigades, the military offshoot of Hamas.

The elusive fighter has survived at least seven Israeli assassination attempts in which his wife and two kids including an infant son were killed. He also lost an eye, arm and leg in those assassination attempts.

0521 GMT — Death toll in Gaza soars

The Palestinian death toll in Gaza has risen to 1,055 as the Israeli army struck hundreds of targets in the densely-populated strip's residential and commercial neighbourhoods, the Health Ministry said.

A ministry statement said the Israeli attacks also injured 5,184 people.

The Israeli death toll has climbed to 1,200 people.

Dozens of residential buildings, factories, mosques and shops were hit, the head of the government's media office, Salama Marouf, told the AFP news agency.

The Israeli military confirmed it had hit several Hamas targets during the night.

0020 GMT — Death toll keeps rising in Israel after Hamas blitzkrieg

At least 1,200 Israelis have been killed since a surprise attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last week that involved dozens of fighters who infiltrated illegal Israeli settlements and towns, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation KAN said early on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, citing Israel's Health Ministry, the Times of Israel reported that more than 2,900 Israelis have been wounded in the unprecedented assault, with over 500 still hospitalised.

The Palestinian death toll rose to 900, while 4,500 have been wounded, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza.

The Gaza-based Palestinian Hamas group launched Operation Al Aqsa Flood against Israel early on Saturday, firing a barrage of rockets. It said the surprise attack was in response to the storming of Al Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and growing settler violence against Palestinians.

2200 GMT — Israel gets 'advanced' US ammo ahead of 'full' Gaza offensive

In a statement, the Israeli military has said "a first plane carrying American ammunition had landed in Israel after the US said it would send new supplies of air defences, munitions and other security assistance to its ally to battle Palestinian Hamas militants."

The army said "the ammunition is designed to inflict significant blows," adding it is in "preparation for additional scenarios."

It comes as Israel's defence minister announced that Israeli forces have taken control of the border area of besieged Gaza. "I have lifted all restrictions," said Yoav Gallant, adding, "We have taken the region under control. Now we are launching a full attack."

2000 GMT — US carrier strike group arrives in Eastern Mediterranean

The Ford carrier strike group has arrived in the far Eastern Mediterranean, within range to provide a host of air support or long-range strike options for Israel if requested, but also to surge US military presence to prevent the now four-day old war with Hamas from spilling over into a more dangerous regional conflict, a US official told the Associated Press.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the arrival ahead of an official announcement.

The Pentagon has said that the US warplanes, destroyers and cruisers that sailed with the Ford will conduct maritime and air operations which could range from intelligence collection and interdictions to long-range strike.

Along with the Ford, the US is sending the cruiser USS Normandy and destroyers USS Thomas Hudner, USS Ramage, USS Carney, and USS Roosevelt, and augmenting regional Air Force F-35, F-15, F-16, and A-10 fighter aircraft squadrons in the region.

1930 GMT — Israel shells Syria after rockets hit occupied Golan Heights

The Israeli military said it shelled Syria after rockets hit open land in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

The military did not accuse any group of the rocket attack.

The Syrian regime did not comment. However, Britain-based opposition war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a Palestinian faction conducted the rocket attack from Syrian territory.

For our live updates from Monday (October 10), click here