Satellite photos reveal that Israeli military activities in Rafah are moving from airstrikes to land operations.

According to recent satellite photos, Israel's assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah has moved from bombing to land operations.

The photographs demonstrate the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are active outside of the immediate border crossing area between Egypt and Gaza, which Israel took control of on Monday evening. The images are strikingly similar to the initial stages of Israel's ground assault of Gaza last year.

The photos, which date from May 5 to 7, appear to be IDF vehicle mustering locations and hint that some houses have been demolished. The photos also reveal that some IDF forces had entered the Palestinian enclave from the Rafah crossing gate, advancing more than a mile inside.

Despite strong international pressure on Israel to hold off on advancing on Rafah, there has been a build-up. For the first time, US President Joe Biden declared on Wednesday that if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a significant assault of the city, he would stop some American arms shipments.

These ground actions by Israel come after a day of airstrikes on Rafah that, according to a local hospital, have killed at least four people and entirely demolished multiple buildings. Satellite photos indicate that these strikes are still happening; one image shows smoke rising from a particular spot.

In other clip, people were seen sprinting through Rafah's streets following a strike on Wednesday. A few of them carried seemingly unconscious and bleeding youngsters in their arms as they made their way to the Al Kuwaiti hospital.

In addition, frightened kids were seen riding in ambulances without their parents, and a child who was barely conscious and had a heavily bandaged arm was being carried on a stretcher. There were also two corpse bags observed outside the hospital.

Israeli bombings in the western Rafah area of Tal Al Sultan on Wednesday resulted in four fatalities and over twenty injuries, according to the hospital.

Warning indications

Israel's war in Gaza has centered on Rafah, as the more moderate wing of his coalition has pushed Netanyahu to put securing a ceasefire for hostages ahead of the extreme wing's growing demands for a full-scale ground operation in the city to destroy Hamas.

More than a million Palestinians have fled to Rafah during the course of the nearly seven-month conflict. It is thought that Hamas has relocated there after Israel destroyed a large portion of the northern strip. Gaza residents started leaving the heavily populated city on Monday after the Israeli military ordered them to "evacuate immediately" from the east of Rafah.

According to satellite imagery, the recent actions mirror the first ground invasion of Gaza in October 2023, as well as subsequent operations in other areas of the enclave: A series of airstrikes were conducted by the IDF prior to deploying ground soldiers into northern Gaza. Following the advance of IDF ground forces, houses were leveled and destroyed by armored bulldozers operating alongside tanks and other military equipment.

Wednesday's statement from the IDF stated that it was carrying out "targeted raids" as part of a "precise counterterrorism operation in specific areas of eastern Rafah." Additionally, it declared that "terrorists were eliminated and terrorist infrastructure, as well as underground shafts in several locations in the eastern Rafah area, were uncovered."

The IDF has made video evidence of its Combat unit, the 401st Brigade, performing "operational raids on suspicious buildings" close to the location where it claims Hamas militants shot on its soldiers.

"We eliminated about 30 terrorists and destroyed large amounts of terrorist infrastructure in the region," the IDF declared after the operation.

at least 35 people, including nine children and seven women, had passed away in Rafah since Monday night, according to hospital sources there.seven women and nine children were among the at least 35 individuals who have perished in Rafah since Monday night, according to hospital sources in the city.

According to Gaza's Palestinian authorities, almost 34,600 Palestinians have died there since October. OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke told media in Geneva that aid organizations have been cautioning Israel against initiating a full-scale ground invasion of Rafah, arguing that "any ground operation would mean more suffering and death" for the 1.2 million displaced Palestinians taking sanctuary in and around the city.

The World Food Programme issued a warning over the weekend, stating that a "full-blown famine" is already occurring in northern Gaza and is quickly spreading throughout the strip.

at least 35 individuals, including nine children and seven women, had passed away in Rafah since Monday night, according to hospital sources in the city.

Palestinian officials in Gaza report that since October, over 34,600 people have died there. According to OCHA spokeswoman Jens Laerke, journalists in Geneva were informed by aid groups that Israel should refrain from initiating a full-scale military invasion of Rafah because "any ground operation would mean more suffering and death" for the 1.2 million displaced Palestinians taking refuge in and around the city.

The World Food Programme issued a warning over the weekend, stating that a "full-blown famine" is already occurring in northern Gaza and is quickly spreading throughout the strip.