Israel's Security Cabinet approved a "measured expansion" of ​​Israeli forces' operation in Rafah in a Thursday night vote even as it instructed its negotiators to continue efforts to reach a hostage deal, Axios reported on Friday, citing unnamed sources.

Axios said two of its sources said the expansion did not cross Joe Biden's red line while the third said it could be seen as crossing the line set by the US president as he pauses some US military aid.