Hamas has said its militants are ready to confront Israeli attacks with “full force” after Israel announced it was expanding ground operations.
Its fighters were clashing with Israeli troops in Gaza’s northeastern town of Beit Hanoun and in the central area of Al-Bureij, both located near the border, the armed wing of Hamas said late last night.
Sky News is unable to independently verify these reports.
“The al Qassam brigades and all the Palestinian resistance forces are completely ready to confront [Israel’s] aggression with full force and frustrate its incursions,” Hamas said this morning.
“Netanyahu and his defeated army will not be able to achieve any military victory.”
Meanwhile, Joe Biden has said in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson that America “stands ready to take further action” following attacks by Iran-linked groups against US forces in Iraq and Syria.
The US President’s comments in the letter came after US fighter jets carried out airstrikes in eastern Syria on Friday.
The strikes – which took place at roughly 1.30am GMT – come as a response to a number of drone and missile attacks against US bases and personnel in Iraq and Syria since 17 October.