Announcer this is cnn breaking news. Hello and welcome, everyone. Im michael holmes, and we continue our breaking News Coverage of israel at war. And there are growing signs this hour that an Israeli Military Ground Operation into gaza could get under way at any moment. After a week of air strikes and artillery aimed at hamas inside gaza and a hastily ordered evacuation of up to a million civilians from gaza city, israel declared on saturday that it is ready to open a new phase in te war with a focus on, quote, significant Ground Operations. Earlier israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met soldiers on the front lines. You see him there offering words of support, telling them to be prepared. Also on saturday iran warned farreaching consequences if the israeli attacks dont stop. The Iranian Foreign minister met with a senior hamas official for the First Time Since the fighting began, and there is deep concern that iran and its proxies might try to escalate the conflict especially al
Good evening. Thanks for watching cnns special coverage of israel at war. Im Anderson Cooper live in tel aviv at this hour. My colleague, john berman is in new york. We will have the perspective from the ground in israel and israel announces a war is coming. The Ground Operation as troops gather near the border with gaza. Israel power pounded the gaza strip from the air. A hamas commander who played a part in last saturdays attack was killed and the u. S. Officials are warning more than a Million People leaving would lead to disaster. Tonight, were learning more u. S. Military power is heading to the middle east. The second Carrier Strike group led by the uss Aircraft Carrier in sending a message to iran and its proxies. The state Department Said the number of u. S. Citizens killed is gone up and 59 americans are still unaccounted for. Anderson. We go to the strike group. We have the latest. These are two of the navys most powerful warships. Whats the plan . Anderson, this is broadly s
This is cnn Breaking News. Hello and welcome to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. Im Lynda Kinkade with cnns breaking News Coverage of israel at war. Take your belongings and go south. Thats the message from israel to the residents of Northern Gaza as it prepares to launch a Military Ground Operation at any moment. The u. S. Is sending a second Carrier Strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as additional fighter jets. The move is intended to deter iran, hezbollah, and others from entering the conflict. On saturday, israel declared its ready to open a new phase in the war with a focus on significant ground operations. The idf says it struck more than 100 hamas targets in gaza overnight. A cnn team close to the Northern Gaza has been Hearing Heavy Machine Gunfire near the border fence as well as loud explosions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met soldiers on the front lines offering words of support and telling them to be prepared. Pal
The Israel Military says its forces are increasing their operational readiness for the next stage of the war. The region bracing for a possible largescale Ground Invasion of gaza by the Israeli Military. The Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rallying his front line troops today and pronouncing them ready for whats next. A short while ago i asked an israeli Opposition Leader about the battle ahead. I think were going to do everything that is necessary and probably an incursion is part of this in order to make sure hamas is gone from gaza. They have tried, as you very well know, wolf, we have tried to live next to them, and the result was beheaded babies. So now were going to go and do whatever is necessary to make sure hamas is no longer in gaza. Lets go back to sara right now. I understand there are sirens going off in tel aviv where you are. Theyre very loud, as you know. Weve experienced that. It is starting to rain and now we are starting to hear sirens. Im going to be quiet for a s
This is cnns live coverage of israel at war. Im wolf blitzer in washington along with sara sidner in tel aviv. Theres Breaking News were following this hour. Americans and others stuck in warravaged gaza are on alert to evacuate potentially at any moment. The State Department is urging u. S. Citizens to move closer to the rafah border in the southern part of Gaza Crossing from Gaza Into Egypt in case it opens up with little notice. Local media reported earlier that egypt was not, repeat not, allowing american citizens through the crossing. More than 1 million civilians in the northern part of gaza are under israeli orders to flee to the south, an evacuation the United Nations is calling impossible. The humanitarian crisis is escalated amid widespread destruction and a mounting death toll in gaza now rising above 2200. Its been a full week of punishing israeli air strikes in response to the horrific and deadly hamas Terror Attack on israel last weekend that killed some 1300 people. The