Israel’s defense minister says the country's military operation in the Gaza Strip is expanding to seize “large areas” of the Palestinian territory.

It comes after Israel ordered the evacuation of most of Rafah, and as the World Food Program says all of the bakeries it supports in Gaza have been forced to shut.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Wednesday a major expansion of the military’s operation in Gaza involving the seizure of large areas of land that would be “incorporated into Israel’s security zones.

The move was an apparent bid to ensure that Israel is exempt from new tariffs that President Trump plans to announce on Wednesday.

Israel has cancelled its remaining tariffs on imports from the United States, officials said on Tuesday, a day before the Trump administration hits global trading partners with reciprocal levies.

Israel announced on Tuesday that it is lifting all tariffs being imposed on U.S. products at the direction of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders.