Israel sends additional brigade to Rafah as five soldiers killed in Jabalia friendly fire

The Israeli army announced it is sending an additional brigade to Rafah, southern Gaza, as the government is expected to approve a widening of operations in the city that once housed over a million displaced Palestinians.

At least 600,000 Palestinians have already fled the southern city to other areas in the south and centre of the Gaza Strip since Israel intensified its military operations last week.

Israel’s military also said that five Israeli soldiers were killed and at least seven were injured by an Israeli tank in what seemed to be a friendly fire incident in northern Gaza.

Baalbek, north-eastern Lebanon, was hit by an intense series of Israeli strikes in what seems to be the strongest attack on the area since the beginning of the war in Gaza.

Additionally, three Palestinians were shot and killed by Israeli forces during a raid on Tulkarm in the West Bank, the Wafa news agency reports.

Israeli forces reportedly stormed several money exchange shops in the city, vandalised and stole from some of them, and arrested at least one of the shop owners.

READ MORE: Israel sends additional brigade to Rafah as five soldiers killed in Jabalia friendly-fire