Israel launched a large-scale bombing campaign on Gaza City on Tuesday, dramatically intensifying its assault on the besieged enclave as the United States voiced explicit support for its genocidal operations.

The escalation comes just days after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the region, signaling Washington’s backing and warning that only a limited window remains for a diplomatic resolution.

Local sources in Gaza described the attacks as the most violent since the war began. Israeli Minister of Security Israel Katz declared that Gaza City, the Strip’s primary urban center, was “on fire,” asserting that the occupation “will not relent and we will not back down until the mission is accomplished.”

Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for Gaza’s civil defense agency, reported that air raids continued into Tuesday, with casualties steadily mounting. Strikes also targeted Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, where 49 Palestinians were killed the previous day.

The intensified assault follows Israel’s formal approval of a military plan to occupy Gaza City in August 2025, dubbed *Gideon’s Chariots B*. The operation involves a phased approach: initial siege and blockade, followed by gradual military occupation. Since its launch, at least 1,890 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza City alone, nearly 40 percent of them children, women, and the elderly. In just two days of mid-September strikes, more than 100 Palestinians lost their lives, most in Gaza City.

Entire neighborhoods, including Zeitoun, Sabra, and Tuffah, have been reduced to rubble, while high-rise towers in Remal and landmarks such as the Islamic University of Gaza have been destroyed. The United Nations reports that over 90 percent of schools and universities have been damaged or demolished, leaving Gaza City “no longer a functioning urban center.”

The humanitarian crisis has worsened following the IPC’s formal declaration of famine in Gaza City in August. By mid-September, at least 422 Palestinians, including 145 children, had died from malnutrition and starvation.

During his visit, Secretary Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and reiterated Washington’s support for ongoing military operations. “We think we have a very short window of time in which a deal can happen. We don’t have months anymore, and we probably have days and maybe a few weeks to go,” Rubio told reporters, emphasizing that Washington still prefers a diplomatic solution aimed at demilitarizing Hamas, although he acknowledged that such an outcome may prove unattainable.

Rubio also met with families of captives held in Gaza, recognizing that Hamas maintains leverage through their detention. Meanwhile, a captives advocacy group accused Netanyahu of actively obstructing negotiations, asserting, “He is doing everything to ensure there is no deal and not to bring them back.”

Following his Gaza visit, Rubio traveled to Qatar, urging the Gulf state to continue mediation efforts despite recent Israeli aggression against senior Hamas negotiators. “We want them to know that if there’s any country in the world that could help end this through a negotiation, it’s Qatar,” Rubio said.

US President Donald Trump reassured that Netanyahu would not strike Qatar again, though no formal guarantees were issued. Israeli media reports indicated that previous attacks on Qatar were carried out with US approval.

The timing of Rubio’s trip coincides with preparations for a French-led UN summit, where several Western countries are expected to advance recognition of a Palestinian state. Meanwhile, far-right Israeli cabinet members have renewed calls for annexation of the occupied West Bank, drawing protests from the United Arab Emirates, which normalized ties with Israel in 2020.

Netanyahu hailed Rubio’s visit as a “clear message” of US support and praised Trump as “the greatest friend that Israel has ever had.”

The ongoing bombing campaign and humanitarian crisis in Gaza City underscore the urgent need for international action as civilian casualties continue to rise amid a rapidly deteriorating situation. (ILKHA)