Iraq condemns U.S. drone strike on militant commander

Fears grow in Rafah as Netanyahu orders troops to prepare for push into the city

Fear is growing in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah where tens of thousands of displaced people have been seeking shelter after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his troops to prepare a push into the city.

After rejecting cease-fire proposals from Hamas, Netanyahu said Rafah was the « last bastion » for the militant group.

In a Telegram post today, Gaza’s information ministry reported dozens of injuries from bombardment in the city, where tens of thousands of people fled after the Israeli military ordered them to evacuate the north of the enclave.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who will hold a second day of talks with Israeli leaders today, has said that Israel has a « obligation » and « responsibility » to prioritize safety of civilians.

Militant commander blamed for participating in killings of three U.S. soldiers killed in Baghdad drone strike

A Kata’ib Hezbollah commander was killed in a U.S. drone strike last night in Baghdad as part of the response to an attack on American forces in the region two weeks ago, a U.S. official confirmed to NBC News.

The U.S. first launched retaliatory strikes in both Iraq and Syria last week following an attack on a base in Jordan that killed three U.S. soldiers.

Kata’ib Hezbollah announced the death of Abo Baqir Al-Saadi on its Telegram channel yesterday following Iraqi news report that a drone strike had hit a car in eastern Baghdad.

U.S. Central Command posted a statement on X announcing the strike, describing the man killed as someone directly responsible in planning and participating in attacks on American forces in the region.

“There are no indications of collateral damage or civilian casualties at this time,” the post said.