DEVELOPING: Footage circulating on social media platform X shows tanks operating within Gaza City, as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continues its ground operation, dubbed Operation "Gideon's Chariots." The images emerged within the past 15 minutes, between 9:46 AM and 10:01 AM UTC on September 16th, 2025, corroborating earlier reports of an expanded ground offensive. The IDF announced the launch of the next phase of Operation "Gideon's Chariots" inside Gaza City at approximately 7:47 AM UTC this morning. According to previous reports, two divisions are maneuvering within the city, with a third expected to join. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the ongoing operations as being at a "decisive stage." Earlier today, between 7:32 AM and 7:46 AM UTC, the IDF reported the elimination of Mahmoud Said Tamar, a Nahmaba commander involved in the October 7 attacks, in Deir al-Balah. In the past week preceding the ground offensive, the Israeli Air Force reportedly struck over 850 terror targets and hundreds of operatives in Gaza City. Over 350,000 residents have reportedly fled Gaza City southward, according to the IDF. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported 428 deaths from famine and malnutrition in Gaza as of September 16th, 2025, with 146 of those deaths being children. Egypt has established a tent camp in the Deir al-Balah area for displaced individuals, with plans for three additional similar areas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to testify in court today, September 16th, 2025, at 3 PM local time, regarding ongoing legal proceedings. In diplomatic news, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckbika Keline previously stated, "We will not tell Israel what she can do and what she cannot do. She is a sovereign state."
