Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip resulted in the deaths of eight people, among them a young boy, as the ongoing conflict continues to produce casualties. In the southern city of Khan Younis, five individuals were killed in a strike, with their bodies transported to Nasser Hospital. Simultaneously, a separate strike in Gaza City claimed the lives of three people, including the boy, and left a woman seriously wounded, according to reports from Shifa Hospital.
The Israeli military stated that its operations targeted several militants in Khan Younis and one Hamas operative in the northern part of Gaza.
The conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel—killing approximately 1,200 people and abducting 251—has seen a shift in intensity since the October 2025 ceasefire. While major combat has largely subsided, near-daily Israeli strikes persist.
Gaza’s Health Ministry, which is managed by the Hamas-run government and does not distinguish between civilians and militants, reports that over 1,570 Palestinians have been killed since the truce began, pushing the total war-related death toll above 74,500.
Israel maintains that its strikes are focused on militant targets and has accused Hamas of utilizing civilians as human shields.
Beyond Gaza, regional instability continues to escalate. Qatar’s national gas company, Nakilat, reported that one of its vessels, the Al Mayeda, was struck by “unidentified objects” in the Persian Gulf on Friday night. The company, officially known as Qatar Gas Transport Co., confirmed that while the vessel sustained damage, no crew members were injured, there was no environmental impact, and the ship remains operational.
Qatar’s foreign ministry has condemned the incident and launched an investigation into the perpetrators, noting that such attacks threaten regional security, stability, and the marine environment. Iran has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on ships and warned that vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz without its permission could face destruction.
In Yemen, the U.N. is calling for an investigation into the death of a staffer who was held by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Mohammad el Shami, who had been in Houthi custody since June 2024, is the second U.N. employee to die while being held by the group, following the death of a World Food Program worker in February 2025.
U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric stated that the Houthis provided no information regarding el Shami’s well-being or proof of life despite repeated U.N.
requests. Additionally, Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported that two airstrikes hit the University of Hodeida on Sunday, blaming Saudi Arabia for the attack on the school’s medical facility. The strategic port city of Hodeida has repeatedly come under attack since fighting escalated months ago between the Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces, reigniting Yemen’s devastating civil war.
Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions have intensified as Iran designated Britain’s Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organizations and labeled MI6 as a hostile entity, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. The Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the U.K.
of facilitating U.S.-Israeli military attacks by providing logistical support and bases. This designation could expose individuals accused of working with MI6 to prosecution under Iranian law and heighten the risk of military confrontation.
At the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern affairs, Donald Blome, noted that while the U.S. has kept channels for negotiation open, it is prepared to take alternative measures, stating, “We just can’t allow Iran to take this region and the global economy hostage.”
