16 people were killed and 35 wounded in U.S. and British strikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah province. The strikes targeted a radio building in Al-Hawk district and port of Salif. The U.S. and British militaries launched strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen to deter the militant group from disrupting shipping in the Red Sea.
Israel plans to allow more oil tankers to dock at a Red Sea port in Eilat despite environmental risks. The government wants to revoke restrictions on the amount of oil that can be unloaded at a jetty in the city, which sits near a coral reef. The curbs imposed in 2021 were eased temporarily during the Gaza war. EAPC, the state-owned company operating the pipeline, wants to receive more oil, but environmental regulators and Eilat’s mayor oppose the plan. Israel is pushing to ensure energy security amid conflicts with various groups. Netanyahu’s office recommended easing restrictions to include fuel for trade and domestic use. The environment ministry expressed concerns about the risks of more oil deliveries and cited past mishaps. EAPC welcomed the government’s U-turn, emphasizing the strategic importance of the Eilat facility for energy delivery. Israel imports most of its oil through seaborne trade, and the Emirati oil deal could be worth about million a year for EAPC. The Energy Ministry emphasized the need to handle oil deliveries properly to sustain the terminal economically.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militia is offering a place for U.S. students suspended from universities for supporting Palestinians in the Gaza conflict. The students have been protesting against Israel’s actions in Gaza and calling on President Biden to intervene. Sanaa University, run by the Houthis, is welcoming these students to continue their studies in Yemen, condemning suppression of freedom of expression at U.S. and European universities. The offer has sparked sarcasm among Yemenis on social media.
The Cyprus Shipping Chamber is calling for the immediate release of the 25 crew members on board the Portuguese-flagged containership MSC Aries, which was seized by Iran in retaliation for Israel’s bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus.
President Joe Biden warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. would not participate in a counter-offensive against Iran if Israel decides to retaliate for a mass drone and missile attack on Israeli territory overnight. The threat of open warfare between the two countries has caused global powers and Arab nations to urge restraint to avoid further escalation. The U.S. will continue to help Israel defend itself but does not want war, according to the White House’s top national security spokesperson. Iran launched the attack in response to a suspected Israeli strike on its consulate in Syria, causing only modest damage in Israel as most missiles were shot down with the help of the U.S., Britain, and Jordan. Israel is not planning an immediate retaliation and is seeking to build a regional coalition to address the threat posed by Iran.
Iran has vowed to retaliate against Israel for an airstrike that killed two of its generals and five other military advisers in Damascus, heightening tensions in the Middle East conflict. The attack on the Iranian embassy compound in Syria was one of the most significant strikes on Iranian interests in the country. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack, but a senior Israeli official stated that the individuals targeted had been planning attacks on Israeli and American assets. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised revenge for the attack. The attack has drawn condemnation from Russia and raised concerns about escalating tensions in the region.
A speed boat carrying more than a dozen Somali pirates attacked a Bangladeshi-owned bulk carrier in the western Indian Ocean, taking the captain and second officer hostage. The ship, named the Abdullah, later anchored off the coast of Somalia. This incident is part of a resurgence of piracy in the region, with more than 20 attempted hijackings since November. The increase in piracy has led to higher costs for shipping companies due to the need for armed security guards, insurance coverage, and the potential for ransom payments. The Indian Navy recently intercepted and freed another hijacked ship, the Ruen, capturing 35 pirates and rescuing 17 hostages without injuries. The resurgence of piracy is attributed to a reduction in international naval operations off the coast of Somalia and the distraction provided by Houthi militia strikes in nearby waters. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud emphasized the importance of stopping piracy early to prevent it from escalating. The global economy suffered approximately billion in costs due to Somali pirate activities at their peak in 2011. The current rate of attacks is significantly less, but the threat persists, especially with the end of the monsoon season. Insurers have extended the area in which additional war risk premiums are imposed, and the demand for private armed guards has increased, driving up prices. No ransom payments have been reported for the recent hijackings, but negotiations have taken place. International efforts to combat piracy have been hampered by reduced naval patrols and the lapse of a U.N. resolution authorizing foreign vessels to patrol in Somali waters. Somali President Mohamud highlighted the need to bolster Somalia’s law enforcement capacity at sea and on land to contain the piracy threat.
– A ship carrying almost 200 tonnes of food for Gaza left Cyprus on Tuesday, aiming to open a new sea route to deliver aid to Palestinians.
– The charity ship Open Arms was seen sailing out of Larnaca port in Cyprus, towing a barge containing flour, rice, and protein.
– The journey to Gaza takes about 15 hours, but with a heavy tow barge, it could take up to 2 days.
– Cyprus is just over 200 miles (320 km) north-west of Gaza.
– The U.S. military’s vessel, the General Frank S. Besson, was also en route to provide humanitarian relief to Gaza by sea.
– The U.S. military parachuted more than 27,600 meals and 25,900 bottles of water into northern Gaza.
– The U.N. estimates a quarter of Gaza’s population is at risk of starvation.
– Jordanian state media reported seven humanitarian air drops on Monday, with Jordan, the U.S., Egypt, France, Belgium, and Morocco participating.
– The conflict has displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people.
– Palestinian media reported that seven Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded in Israeli gunfire in Gaza City early on Tuesday.
– United Nations chief Antonio Guterres appealed for a truce and the removal of obstacles to life-saving aid.
– Hamas killed 1,200 people in an Oct. 7 attack on Israel and took 253 hostages.
– Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians.
– Israel was checking if it had killed Hamas’s deputy military leader, Marwan Issa, in an airstrike in Gaza.
– Marwan Issa is known as the ‘Shadow Man’ and is second-in-command of Hamas’s military wing, the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades.
– Negotiations on a ceasefire in Israel’s war against Hamas remain deadlocked in Cairo.
– An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza City killed 16 people and wounded several others.
– The Israeli military said its forces killed about 15 militants in central Gaza.
– Lebanon’s Hezbollah launched several drones at an outpost in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
– Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles into the Red Sea toward merchant vessel Pinocchio, with no injuries or damage reported.
Israel was investigating whether Marwan Issa, Hamas’s second-highest military leader, died in an air strike on the Al-Nusseirat camp in central Gaza. The attack, which occurred on Saturday night, resulted in five fatalities. Issa is a key figure in Hamas’s military wing, the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades. His death could impact efforts to secure a ceasefire in the Gaza war, which has lasted more than five months, causing significant casualties and destruction. The conflict began after a Hamas attack on October 7, leading to over 31,000 Palestinian deaths and nearly 73,000 injuries. Negotiations for a ceasefire are ongoing, with involvement from Egyptian and Qatari mediators. Additionally, an Israeli air strike in Gaza City killed 16 people in the Abu Shammala family’s house. The conflict has displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, with a significant humanitarian crisis unfolding. Aid efforts are being made, including the dispatch of vessels carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza.
U.S., French, and British forces downed dozens of drones in the Red Sea area after Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis targeted the bulk carrier Propel Fortune and U.S. destroyers. The Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November, claiming solidarity with Palestinians. They targeted the cargo vessel and U.S. war destroyers with 37 drones. The U.S. military and coalition forces downed at least 28 drones over the Red Sea, with no damage to U.S., Coalition Navy vessels, or commercial ships reported. A French warship and fighter jets shot down four combat drones, protecting the cargo ship True Confidence and other vessels. Britain’s HMS Richmond repelled a Houthi drone attack, shooting down two drones with no injuries or damage reported. Three seafarers were killed in a missile strike by the Houthis on the Greek-operated True Confidence. The Propel Fortune was targeted, likely due to outdated U.S. ownership data, but all crew were safe, and the vessel proceeded to its next port.