Israeli far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has openly stated his intention to annex the West Bank to Israel. In a meeting with his Religious Zionism party, Smotrich expressed his goal of establishing sovereignty over the occupied territory and preventing the creation of a Palestinian state. This announcement comes shortly after reports revealed that Smotrich and his allies had gained new legal powers to further their annexation efforts. Smotrich emphasized his commitment to "establishing facts on the ground" in order to integrate Judea and Samaria (the Israeli term for the West Bank) into the state of Israel.

Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City have resulted in the deaths of dozens of Palestinians in two densely populated areas. The Israeli forces stated that the strikes were targeting a high-ranking Hamas commander. Reports indicate that the bombings were carried out with the intention of assassinating the Hamas leader.

The Israeli military is considering launching an offensive along the Lebanon border, according to Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi. The military is prepared for potential action in the north as Hezbollah continues to fire rockets into Israel. Meanwhile, US President Biden appears to have softened his criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. In Tel Aviv, a demonstration is taking place in support of a peace agreement that would secure the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. The IDF has confirmed that the aircraft infiltration sirens heard in northern Israel this morning were a false alarm.