Israeli Security Cabinet Approves Expansion of Rafah Operation

The Israeli Security Cabinet approved a "measured expansion" of the army's operation in Rafah in a vote on Thursday evening. This decision comes despite instructions given to negotiators to continue efforts to reach an agreement regarding hostages, according to Axios reported on Friday, citing unspecified sources. Axios reported from two sources that the expansion did not cross the red line set by U.S. President Joe Biden, while a third source indicated that the expansion of the operation could be viewed as exceeding the boundary established by Biden at a time when the U.S. temporarily suspended some military aid.