Tunde Sulaiman 
Hamas in Gaza has told the BBC it will not reveal the name of its new leader for security reasons. The group will elect a new leader in March to replace Yahya Sinwar who was killed by Israeli troops.
Israel said its forces are continuing ground raids in the Jabalia area in northern Gaza – adding that “several hundred” residents have left using evacuation routes.
On its part the US is stepping up diplomatic efforts to get ceasefires between Israel, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israel carried out air strikes across Lebanon, saying it’s targeting branches of a bank used by Hezbollah, with Israel’s foreign minister saying the city is “in flames”.
The Israeli military issued 24 warnings of air strikes in less than an hour – evacuation warnings which caused widespread panic, according to the UN’s envoy to Lebanon.
The Al-Qard al-Hassan bank has been under US sanctions since 2007, with the US saying it allows Hezbollah to bypass banking systems. Two strikes were reported close to Beirut airport, as passenger planes were still landing, reports the BBC.
