Satellite images show how far Israel’s ground forces have reached inside Gaza
As the Israeli military continues its operation in Gaza’s southern region of Khan Younis, new satellite imagery reveals how far their ground forces may have reached.
At least three areas just north of the city show groups of military vehicles, while visible tracks can also be seen 1.2 miles (2km) from one of the city’s main hospitals in an image taken on Wednesday.
Due to restricted access into Gaza, there has been limited independent visual evidence showing Israel’s ground operation.
In early December, Israel said it expanded its air and ground operation in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, the army now claims it has been fighting in centre of Khan Younis.
Satellite image shows three areas containing Israeli military vehicles north of Khan Younis city. Pic: Planet Labs PBC
Armoured vehicles
At least 10 vehicles can be seen in the yellow box on the far right of the image above in Kaf Elabadla which is around three-and-a-half kilometres north of Khan Younis city.
It’s located just west of the Salah al Din road – one of the main roads running through the Gaza Strip which many Palestinians used to evacuate the north.
The image was taken at 7.33am UTC by Planet Labs PBC. The two boxes below show a closer view of two of the areas.
Two areas where sand banks and vehicles are seen. Pic: Planet Labs PBC
The area on the right shows more vehicles by a sand bank just metres away from where a video IDF posted on 6 December was taken.
The army said the video shows the IDFs special forces division, Division 98, “fighting for the first time” in what they describe as “the heart of Khan Younis”.
The video was filmed almost 1.9 miles (3km) from the centre of the city.
The location of the area on the left in the image above is located about 1.5 miles (2.4km) northeast of Khan Younis’s Nasser Hospital.
Sky military analyst Sean Bell said the areas where military vehicles have been spotted are likely to be “forward operating bases for Israeli troops” – with the sand banks allowing a degree of protection.
Previous satellite imagery taken on 3 December showed dozens of military vehicles further north closer to Deir al Balah.
Tracks seen on ground
Pic: Planet Labs PBC
Moving closer to the centre of Khan Younis city, vehicle tracks are also seen alongside circular craters in the ground. Sky News is unable to verify what vehicles created these tracks.
The IDFs operation in Khan Younis, the home town of Hamas leader Yehya Sinwar, marks the expansion of their offensive in Gaza.
The move has shrunk the area where Palestinians can seek safety and halted the distribution of vital aid across most of the territory. Many Palestinians had fled south following bombardment in northern Gaza and Gaza City and warnings from the Israeli army.
The assault on the south threatens further mass displacement within the besieged coastal enclave, where the UN says some 1.87 million people – more than 80% of the population – have already fled their homes.
The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.
“Super high-IQ revolutionaries” who are willing to work 80+ hours a week are being urged to join Elon Musk’s new cost-cutting department in Donald Trump’s incoming US government.
The X and Tesla owner will co-lead the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
And in a post on X, the official DOGE account put out a call to arms for people to sign up and help “dismantle government bureaucracy”.
The post said: “We are very grateful to the thousands of Americans who have expressed interest in helping us at DOGE.
“We don’t need more part-time idea generators.
“We need super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ hours per week on unglamorous cost-cutting.
“If that’s you, DM this account with your CV. Elon & Vivek will review the top 1% of applicants.”
Read more:
Who is in Trump’s top team?
Trump’s cabinet signals tough stance on China
Elon Musk speaking at an event held at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Pic: AP Photo/Alex Brandon
In a reply to an interested party, Mr Musk suggested the lucky applicants would be working for free.
“Indeed, this will be tedious work, make lost of enemies & compensation is zero,” the world’s richest man wrote.
“What a great deal!”
When announcing the new department, President-elect Donald Trump said Mr Musk and Mr Ramaswamy “will pave the way for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies”.
Mr Musk has previously made clear his desire to see cuts to “government waste” and in a post on his X platform suggested he could axe as many as three-quarters of the more than 400 federal departments in the US, writing: “99 is enough.”
At least 10 people have been killed after a fire broke out at a retirement home in northern Spain in the early hours of this morning, officials have said.
A further two people were seriously injured in the blaze at the residence in the town of Villafranca de Ebro in Zaragoza, according to the Spanish news website Diario Sur.
Two people remain in a critical condition following the blaze. Pic: AP
They remain in a critical condition, while several others received treatment for smoke inhalation.
Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at the residence – the Jardines de Villafranca – at 5am (4am UK time) on Friday.
Several residents were treated for smoke inhalation. Pic: AP
Those who were killed in the fire died from smoke inhalation, Spanish newspaper Heraldo reported.
The residence is home to 82 elderly residents.
Read more from Sky News:
Mass displacement in Gaza – people unsure where to go
Donald Trump picks vaccine sceptic as health secretary
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
The blaze started in one of the rooms, Fernando Beltran, the national government’s top official in the region, told reporters.
All of the victims were elderly residents, he added.
Relatives wait for news outside the care home. Pic: AP
Fire crews, paramedics and police officers remain on site, said a spokesperson for the regional government of Aragon who confirmed the fatalities.
It took firefighters several hours to extinguish the blaze, they said.
The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated.
At least 10 people have been killed after a fire broke out at a retirement home in northern Spain in the early hours of this morning, officials have said.
A further two people were seriously injured in the blaze at the residence in the town of Villafranca de Ebro in Zaragoza, according to the Spanish news website Diario Sur.
Two people remain in a critical condition following the blaze. Pic: AP
They remain in a critical condition, while several others received treatment for smoke inhalation.
Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at the residence – the Jardines de Villafranca – at 5am (4am UK time) on Friday.
Several residents were treated for smoke inhalation. Pic: AP
Those who were killed in the fire died from smoke inhalation, Spanish newspaper Heraldo reported.
The residence is home to 82 elderly residents.
Read more from Sky News:
Mass displacement in Gaza – people unsure where to go
Donald Trump picks vaccine sceptic as health secretary
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
The blaze started in one of the rooms, Fernando Beltran, the national government’s top official in the region, told reporters.
All of the victims were elderly residents, he added.
Relatives wait for news outside the care home. Pic: AP
Fire crews, paramedics and police officers remain on site, said a spokesperson for the regional government of Aragon who confirmed the fatalities.
It took firefighters several hours to extinguish the blaze, they said.
The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports7 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Environment1 year agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway