Israeli bombardment has killed nine people in Syria as troops conducted a raid in the south, the local government and a war monitor said, with Israel's Defence Minister saying its military will remain in buffer zones within Syria.

Israeli airstrikes targeted on Wednesday the airport in the Syrian city of Hama and the vicinity of the scientific research center in the Barzeh neighborhood of the capital Damascus, Syrian state news agency (SANA) and local officials said.

TEL AVIV — In the days following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, hundreds of thousands of Israelis rushed to join the fight against Hamas and allied militants in the Gaza Strip. The enlistment rate soared, according to the Israeli military, with the number of soldiers reporting for duty far surpassing those who were formally called up.

Israeli strikes in the southern Gaza Strip killed at least 19 Palestinians overnight into Sunday, including a senior Hamas political leader and several women and children.

Israel launched airstrikes on military airbases and infrastructure sites in the Syrian cities of Damascus, Hama and Homs on Wednesday, the Israeli military said. The attack almost completely destroyed the Hama military airport and led to dozens of injuries among civilians and military personnel,

Hamas decided not to respond or engage with Israel's counter-proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, an official told Reuters on Wednesday, affirming it is committed to the mediators' plan instead. Israel said on March 29 it conveyed to the mediators a counter-proposal in full coordination with the U.

The announcement came after Netanyahu’s defense minister said that Israel would seize large areas of Gaza and add them to its so-called security zones.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that the military was "dissecting" the Gaza Strip and seizing territory to pressure Hamas into freeing hostages still held in the enclave.