Israel conducted a strike on Gaza City; it is reportedly a mass casualty incident. Local authorities have stated the site was a school, while Israel has stated it was a Hamas headquarters. The attack came not long after the United States authorized the release of $3.5 billion worth of military financing to Israel. The move though came simultaneously with the decision to lift a ban on offensive weaponry being transferred to Saudi Arabia, which points to general American concern in the region rather than a belief that Israel was suddenly going to be more careful with their strikes. Despite the authorization for the transfer and once again Iran hardening their rhetoric today compared to their softer rhetoric over the past couple of days, the United States is still insistently pushing for peace talks next week, with Egypt and Qatar to serve as interlocutors.
A drone slammed into an American base in northeastern Syria, sparking fires at the base. No casualties were reported, but it prompted American helicopter flights in the area, presumably hunting for the party responsible for the attack. The likely culprit is an Iranian backed militia, who semi regularly carry out these sorts of attacks in Iraq and Syria. It comes after days of heightened tensions between American aligned militias and federal aligned forces along the Euphrates river in Deir Ezzor governorate.