The United States is working on a plan with Israel to minimise harm to civilians in any military operation in southern Gaza, a senior US official has said as Israel’s military resumed its bombardment of the territory following the collapse of a week-old truce with Hamas.

According to Reuters, Israel’s government agreed that any operation in the south will not look like it did in the north and its military will designate areas where civilians will not be harmed, the official said following US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip to the region, where Washington’s top diplomat met with Israeli officials.

The official added that the US expects there will be no full-scale assault on Khan Younis and Rafah as there was on Gaza City.