Lebanon had been hoping this summer would see the return of tens of thousands of expats and tourists. But halfway through the season, the country is again teetering on the brink of conflict.

International condemnation grew Saturday over Israel’s decision for a military takeover of Gaza City, while tens of thousands of Israelis rallied in what local media called one of the largest anti-government protests in recent months following 22 months of war.

Charred bodies sat in an awful heap on a city sidewalk. Blood mixed with dirt in a traffic circle where civilians were gunned down. Grieving women clasped arms on Sweida’s stricken streets, wearing black.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reaffirmed Ankara’s support to Syria’s stability and reconstruction following a meeting on Thursday with Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Damascus.

Israel said early Friday that it plans to take over Gaza City in another escalation of its 22-month war with Hamas. The decision came despite mounting international calls to end the war and protests by many in Israel who fear for the remaining hostages held by Hamas.

Israel has the support of the United States to make “tough decisions” as it considers whether to completely occupy Gaza, said the U.S. ambassador to Israel.

Iran’s expansive drone program is giving the U.S. and its allies a lopsided problem: cheap, expendable aircraft that can evade detection and cost much more to shoot down than to build.

At least 38 Palestinians were killed overnight and into Wednesday in the Gaza Strip while seeking aid from United Nations convoys and sites run by an Israeli-backed American contractor, according to local health officials. The Israeli military said it had fired warning shots when crowds approached its forces.

Beirut is under U.S. pressure to disarm the group that was left gravely weakened by its recent 14-month war with Israel, with many of its political and military leaders dead. Hezbollah said it is ready for a dialogue over its weapons.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hinting at wider military action in devastated Gaza even as some former army and intelligence chiefs are speaking out to call for an end to the war.