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One person has been killed in a missile attack by Hezbollah in northern Israel.
Israeli officials say it was a factory worker who was caught in the explosion of an industrial park in the city of Kiryat Shmona, near the border with Lebanon.
The military group says this attack served as a response to an Israeli air strike on the village of Hebbariye in Lebanon's south a day earlier, that caused the death of seven people.
Israel claims among those killed are militants who had been involved in previous attacks, with Hezbollah arguing that they were all rescue workers.
Sharif Atawi, the father of one of the men killed in Hebbariye, says his son will be avenged.
“We ask God to accept those who have been killed. I never wished to ever be in this position. My son is a part of me, may God accept him. The others are my children, they are a part of me, may God accept them, but we will not stay helpless, we will get our revenge. We will avenge their blood.”
The exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah has been ongoing since the start of the war in Gaza on October 7.
Hezbollah is a Shia Muslim militant group and an ally of Hamas.
One of Hamas' representatives, Ali Abuyassin, has sent a message to the people of Lebanon following the attack on the country's south.
“To all Lebanese people without exception: Today, Hebbariye is acting as a shield, receiving the arrows on behalf of the whole nation. Hebbariye is saying to the nation that those who can’t stand with Hebbariye, then at least do not be a knife in its back. Those who can be with Hebbariye, must also be with Lebanon and the whole nation.”
Despite its continued skirmishes with Hezbollah in the north, Israel's main goal continues to be the annihilation of Hamas in Gaza.
Ignoring calls by the United Nations for an immediate ceasefire in the region, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told a US delegation that he plans to move ahead with the offensive in Rafah.
He has attempted to downplay concerns that it may lead to a humanitarian disaster.
“Victory is within reach. It's a few weeks away. Now we are told this is it, last point, now we are told you can't do this, if you go into Rafah you're going to have a humanitarian catastrophe. You're going to have, I don't know, 30,000 civilians dead. Ok. That's not true. That is simply not true.”
U-S State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller has reiterated the US's stance of not standing behind such a move by Israel.
“Our position has been that it should not go forward in the way that they have contemplated, the way that you've heard us describe it for the past, I think it's ten days now, that a full scale military operation into Rafah would be a mistake, and it's not something that we can support."
Mr Netanyahu is facing growing criticism due to his handling of his country's relations with the US.
It comes after the US decided to abstain from a UN ceasefire resolution vote, saying that it aligned with their own objectives but did not include a condemnation of Hamas.
Mr Netanyahu has accused the US of stalling the discussions between Israel and Hamas for the release of the remaining hostages with their decision.
U-S State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller says that isn't the case.
“The hostage negotiations, we do not believe are over. We do not believe they've come to an end. We believe that there is an ability to continue to pursue the release of hostages. And that's what we're going to continue to do.”
Following the release of a report that accuses Israel of genocide against the people of Gaza, a high ranking UN official says she has been on the receiving end of threats.
Francesca Albanese, the Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, revealed the report dubbed "The Anatomy of a Genocide" at the UN's Human Rights Council in Geneva.
She says the threats will not deter her from continuing her work.
“Yeah, I do receive threats, nothing that so far I have considered needing extra precautions. Pressure, yes, and it doesn't change either my commitment or the results of my work, I think.”
Israeli officials have turned down the findings of the report, saying the use of the term "genocide" is unjustified.
