tensions in the Middle East due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has dispatched six warships to the region, including a guided-missile destroyer.
Reports indicate that the Chinese warships, including the Type 052D guided-missile destroyer Zibo, the frigate Jingzhou, and the integrated supply ship Qiandaohu, are part of the PLA’s 44th naval escort task force. This naval task force recently participated in a joint military exercise with Oman.
This move occurs in conjunction with the United States deploying its most advanced carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, and a battle group to the West Asia region. Simultaneously, Israel’s military has issued warnings of the potential for Iran-backed Hezbollah to involve neighboring Lebanon in a broader conflict. Israel reported anti-tank missile fire from Lebanon on Sunday.
Israel has also indicated it will proceed with the next phase of the Gaza campaign without specifying the timing of its anticipated ground invasion against Hamas, a group designated as a terrorist organization by both the United States and the European Union.
The ongoing conflict in the region has resulted in over 4,300 casualties in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, though the toll remains disputed in some cases.
Furthermore, Syrian state media reported Israeli airstrikes targeting international airports in Damascus and Aleppo, along with a mosque in the occupied West Bank allegedly used by militants. These events occurred as the two-week-old conflict with Hamas threatens to escalate into a more extensive confrontation. The airstrikes reportedly caused damage to runways and resulted in one fatality.
The Israeli military has asserted that the targeted mosque compound belonged to Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants, who had been responsible for several attacks in recent months and were planning further ones. Israel maintains that it is targeting Hamas members and installations and is not deliberately targeting civilians.
In a separate incident, Israel has been countering attempts to launch missiles across the Lebanese border and struck a site in Lebanon from which a missile was fired at an Israeli aircraft, according to Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari. The conflict in the West Bank has resulted in 91 Palestinian fatalities since its outbreak on October 7, with most occurring during clashes with Israeli forces or violent protests.
