Eight Israeli soldiers killed as fighting rages in Gaza

Eight Israeli soldiers were killed in an explosion in southern Gaza on Saturday, one of the military’s heaviest losses during the ongoing conflict. The blast hit an armored vehicle near Rafah amid fierce street battles between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants. The incident brings Israel’s death toll to 306 since the ground offensive began in October. Intense cross-border violence also erupted between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, raising fears of the conflict spilling over regionally.