Israel’s military is expanding its ground operations in Gaza, including in southern Rafah, Al Jazeera says, citing Israeli media.

Defence Minister Israel Katz said troops will move to clear areas of “terrorists and infrastructure, and capture extensive territory that will be added the State of Israel’s security areas”, according to the Times of Israel.

Katz confirmed that the operation is now underway in Rafah, the Israeli Army Radio reported.

The announcement comes after Israel’s military ordered residents of Rafah as well as northern Beit Hanoon and Beit Lahiya to flee, Al Jazeera noted.

Editorial

Updated 05 Aug, 2026

State of confusion

FROM the looks of it, America has no exit strategy to extricate itself from the disastrous war with Iran. US...
05 Aug, 2026

Pension decision

THE government’s decision to formally operationalise the new Defined Contribution Pension Fund Scheme is a step...
05 Aug, 2026

Preventable deaths

THE deaths of 144 children from measles and diphtheria in Karachi during the first seven months of the year expose a...
Updated 04 Aug, 2026

Swat bombing

IT is a bitter irony that terrorists struck a protest against violence in Swat on Sunday, causing at least 17...
04 Aug, 2026

Tariff blow

FOR an export sector already squeezed by high production costs, the additional 10pc tariff on top of the existing...
04 Aug, 2026

Perilous peaks

THE deaths of 10 climbers in an avalanche on Broad Peak is a sad reminder of the perils that many mountaineers face...