The Biden administration, working urgently to stave off a full-scale Israeli invasion of Rafah, is offering Israel valuable assistance if it holds back, including sensitive intelligence to help the IDF pinpoint the location of Hamas leaders and find hidden tunnels. (WaPo)

#BREAKING : Security Cabinet in Israel approved the widening of the Rafah offensive, even at risk of overstepping the 'red line' set by the Biden administration. (Walla)

#BREAKING : Widespread artillery fire along with airstrikes reported in Rafah, IDF releases statement saying troops are operating in a 'targeted manner' against Hamas targets in eastern Rafah

#BREAKING : PM Netanyahu's office says the war cabinet 'unanimously decided that Israel is continuing with the operation in Rafah to exert military pressure on Hamas in order to advance the release of our hostages and the other goals of the war.' Via Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian

Israeli official says Hamas' announcement appears to be a 'ruse to cast Israel as the side refusing a deal'. (Sky News)

Israeli official says Hamas approved a 'softened' ceasefire proposal that is 'not acceptable' to Israel. (Sky News)

Russia said on Monday it would practise the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons as part of a military exercise after what the Moscow said were threats from France, Britain and the United States. (Reuters)

JUST IN: Columbia University canceled its main commencement ceremony after weeks of protests. It will proceed with smaller school graduations. (WSJ)

#BREAKING : The Biden administration last week put a hold on a shipment of U.S.-made ammunition to Israel. (Axios via Barak Ravid)

#BREAKING Netanyahu says 'surrendering' to Hamas demand to end war in Gaza in order to reach hostage release deal would be 'terrible defeat' for Israel. (AFP)

Israeli cabinet has voted unanimously to close Qatari television network Al Jazeera's operations in Israel. (Sky News)

Israeli officials have been weighing an expansive plan for postwar Gaza, in which Israel would offer to share oversight of the territory with an alliance including Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as well as the US, in return for normalization with Saudi Arabia. (NYT)

The Pentagon is shifting jet fighters, armed drones and other aircraft to Qatar, repositioning its forces to get around restrictions on conducting airstrikes from an air base long used by the U.S. in the United Arab Emirates. (WSJ)

#BREAKING : Syrian state media confirms 8 soldiers wounded along with 'material losses' in Israeli strikes on the outskirts of Damascus. This marks the first Israeli strikes in Syria since the bombing of the Iranian general.

#BREAKING : The Biden administration is considering bringing certain Palestinians to the U.S. as refugees, a move that would offer a safe haven to some of those fleeing war-torn Gaza. (CBS)

Columbia University threatened to expel students who took over an academic building as it sought to end a standoff between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and the Ivy League school. (WSJ)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that the Israeli military will launch a ground offensive in Rafah 'with or without' a truce with Hamas in Gaza. (AFP)

The International Criminal Court is being warned by members of Congress in both parties that arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials will be met with U.S. retaliation – and legislation to that effect is already in the works. (Axios)

Columbia University began suspending students in a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus who remained past a fresh deadline. (WSJ)

#BREAKING : Massive rocket barrage fired from Lebanon towards Meron, video footage from Safed showing many impacts in the area