Israel-Gaza-Lebanon live updates: US denies giving Israel 'a pass' on Gaza

A group of eight aid agencies published a joint statement Tuesday alleging that Israel has failed to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza in the 30-day window set by the U.S.

The U.S. deadline for Israel to "surge" food and other humanitarian aid into the devastated territory expires Tuesday.

Officials including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned last month that Israel's failure to deliver may trigger laws requiring the U.S. to restrict military aid to Israel.

The eight NGOs -- among them Oxfam America, the Norwegian Refugee Council and Save the Children -- awarded Israel a "failing grade" in meeting U.S. demands.

"The facts are clear: the humanitarian situation in Gaza is now at its worst point since the war began in October 2023," the statement said.

"This new analysis clearly demonstrates that the Israeli government is violating its obligations under U.S. and international law to facilitate humanitarian relief for suffering Palestinians in Gaza," Refugees International President -- and former senior USAID official -- Jeremy Konyndyk said.

"With experts again projecting imminent famine in north Gaza, there is no time to lose. The United States must impose immediate restrictions on security cooperation with Israel," he added.

-ABC News' Guy Davies

U.S. Central Command announced late Monday that American forces struck nine targets in two locations "associated with Iranian groups in Syria" in response to attacks on U.S. personnel in the country.

"These strikes will degrade the Iranian backed groups' ability to plan and launch future attacks on U.S. and coalition forces" deployed to the region for operations against Islamic State militants, CENTCOM said.

"Attacks against U.S. and coalition partners in the region will not be tolerated," CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said in a statement.

"We will continue to take every step necessary to protect our personnel and coalition partners and respond to reckless attacks," he added.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday there would be "no cease-fire" and "no respite" in Lebanon despite an ongoing diplomatic push to end Israel's campaign against Hezbollah in the country.

Katz said the offensive against Hezbollah -- and the killing of its former leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut in September -- "are a picture of victory and the offensive activity should be continued" to further erode Hezbollah capabilities "and realize the fruits of victory."

"We will continue to hit Hezbollah with full force until the goals of the war are achieved," Katz said in a post to X.

"Israel will not agree to any arrangement that does not guarantee Israel's right" to "prevent terrorism on its own," Katz continued, demanding the disarming of Hezbollah, the group's withdrawal north of the Litani River and the return of Israeli communities to their homes in the north of the country.

Katz was appointed to head the Defense Ministry earlier this month. He replaced Yoav Gallant, who had emerged as a top critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's prosecution of the wars in Gaza and Lebanon. Katz was previously Israel's foreign minister.

Seven people were killed and another seven injured after an Israeli strike on Al-Saksakieh in southern Lebanon Monday evening local time, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said.

Search and rescue teams are working to find missing people under the rubble, Lebanese national media reported.

The Israeli Defense Forces issued a warning to residents of 21 villages in southern Lebanon telling them to evacuate their homes immediately Monday evening local time.

-ABC News Ghazi Balkiz