Live blog: Houthis reportedly target vessel in Red Sea as Gaza war rages

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

2200 GMT — Yemen's Houthi group Ansarullah has targeted a vessel in the Red Sea, a Yemeni military source told Al Jazeera.

Houthi rebels have stepped up attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea in protest against Israel's war in Gaza. Various shipping lines have suspended operations, instead taking the longer journey around Africa.

Earlier on Tuesday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) organisation received a report of an incident in the Red Sea approximately 50 nautical miles west of Yemen's Hudaida.

The Houthis have vowed to continue attacks until Israel halts its war on Gaza, and warned that it would attack US warships if it was targeted.

2000 GMT — US, Israel agree on 'UN assessment mission' in northern Gaza

The US and Israel have agreed that the UN can carry out "an assessment mission" in northern Gaza to determine what needs to be done so that displaced Palestinians can return home.

"It will determine what needs to be done to allow displaced Palestinians to return safely to homes in the north," Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters during a news conference in Tel Aviv after meeting Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Israel Katz and the War Cabinet.

"This is not going to happen overnight. There are serious security, infrastructure and humanitarian challenges, but the mission will start a process that evaluates these obstacles, and how they can be overcome," said Blinken.

2014 GMT — 'I want Belgium to take action at International Court of Justice'

Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister Petra De Sutter has expressed support for South Africa's case against Israel, saying "Belgium cannot remain silent in the face of the genocide threat in Gaza."

"We must take action against the threat of genocide," she wrote on X. "I want Belgium to take action at the International Court of Justice, following the lead of South Africa. I will propose this within the Belgian government."

De Sutter previously had asserted that "it is time to boycott Israel. Bombing like rain is inhumane. It is clear that Israel ignores international calls for a ceasefire."

Expressing concern about the deaths of children in Gaza every day, she urged the Belgian government to implement trade sanctions against Israel.

South Africa filed the lawsuit on December 29 claiming that Israel violated the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the crime of genocide with its actions in Gaza since October 7, requesting an injunction.

Hearings in the case are set to take place at The Hague later this week.

1901 GMT — Hezbollah denies Israel's claim to killing its senior commander

Israel has claimed that it killed the southern Lebanon commander of Hezbollah's aerial unit in an air strike, hours after it said he led an attack on an army headquarters base in northern Israel.

The Israeli military's chief spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Ali Hussein Barji had led dozens of drone attacks on Israel, as Israel and Hezbollah have been waging their deadliest hostilities in 17 years.

Hours later, Hezbollah rubbished Israeli claims and denied its senior commander was killed in the strike.

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1857 GMT — Daily toll in Gaza too high, Israel genocide charge meritless: Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States believes South Africa's genocide charge against Israel is "meritless," but the daily toll of war on civilians in Gaza is far too high.

Blinken commented at a press conference after talks in Tel Aviv with Israeli leaders.

Blinken said Palestinians must be able to return home as soon as conditions allow and cited an agreement on a plan for the United Nations to carry out an assessment mission in Gaza. Blinken said the United States rejected any proposals advocating resettlement of Palestinians outside Gaza and stressed that the Palestinian Authority has the responsibility to reform itself.

1712 GMT — UN experts condemn 'extrajudicial' killing of Hamas figure in Lebanon

UN experts in international law condemned the killing of Hamas deputy leader Saleh al Arouri and other fighters in drone strikes on Lebanon, saying this amounted to the crimes of extrajudicial killings and murder.

"Killings in foreign territory are arbitrary when they are not authorised under international law," the two UN Special Rapporteurs, Ben Saul and Morris Tidball-Binz, said in a statement issued in Geneva.

"Israel was not exercising self-defence because it presented no evidence that the victims were committing an armed attack on Israel from Lebanese territory."

1707 GMT — US rabbis rally at UN, urging immediate cease-fire in Gaza

A group of rabbis from Rabbis for Ceasefire protested inside the UN Security Council chamber and demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

The demonstrators urged the US to stop "vetoing peace," referencing Washington’s vetoes that have opposed demands for a cease-fire and humanitarian pauses in Gaza.

"We are here at the UN in prayer and determination to support the UN to ask for immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza and to the man (President Joe Biden) that the US gets out of the way of the UN taking urgent action to save lives," said one member of Rabbis for Ceasefire.

Carrying banners that read "Biden: The world says ceasefire now" and "Biden: Stop vetoing ceasefire," demonstrators sang inside the chamber before being escorted out by security officers. Later, they gathered in front of the main UN building and reiterated their demand for a ceasefire. "The United Nations, you have the unique power and the unique responsibility to bring about a permanent ceasefire," they said.

1706 GMT — Israel’s Netanyahu fears rebellion in his own Likud Party: report

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fears that growing frustration within his Likud Party could lead to a joint effort with the opposition to oust him, according to local media on Tuesday.

"In recent days, fears have grown of a rebellion against Netanyahu in the Likud Party and of a joint move with the opposition to oust him,” Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported.

"Criticisms of the party and the ruling coalition by Likud members have increased amid attempts to make a move against Netanyahu," it added.

1624 GMT — ICC confirms it is probing deaths of journalists in Gaza

The International Criminal Court confirmed that it was investigating potential crimes against journalists since the launch of the Israeli onslaught on Gaza, where dozens of reporters have been killed.

Media advocacy group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said in November that it had filed a complaint with the Hague-based ICC alleging war crimes over the deaths of journalists trying to cover the conflict.

"The office of prosecutor Karim Khan has assured the organisation that crimes against journalists are included in its investigation into Palestine," the NGO announced.

The court confirmed the statement, saying: "The ICC Office of the Prosecutor's investigation into the situation in the State of Palestine concerns crimes committed within the Court's jurisdiction since 13 June 2014."

1604 GMT — Israel seeks on Iran to prevent regional escalation

Israel's defence minister told the top US diplomat Antony Blinken Tuesday that increasing pressure on Iran was "critical" as it could prevent a regional escalation as war grinds on in Gaza.

"An increase in the pressure placed on Iran is critical and may prevent regional escalation in additional arenas," Yoav Gallant was quoted as saying in a government statement.

1526 GMT — Israel may have breached international law in Gaza: UK

Britain's Foreign Minister David Cameron has said he was worried that Israel might have taken action in Gaza that might be in breach of international law.

"Am I worried that Israel has taken action that might be in breach of international law, because this particular premises has been bombed, or whatever? Yes, of course," Cameron said as he took questions from parliament's foreign affairs committee.

1423 GMT — Lebanon ready for talks on long-term border stability: PM

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati told a senior United Nations official that his country was ready for talks on long-term stability on its southern border with Israel.

Mikati's office said in a statement he met UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix in Beirut to reiterate "Lebanon's readiness to enter negotiations to achieve a long-term process of stability in southern Lebanon" along the border with Israel.

"We seek permanent stability and call for a lasting peaceful solution - but in return we receive warnings through international envoys about a war on Lebanon," Mikati said.

"The position I repeat to these delegates is: Do you support the idea of destruction? Is what is happening in Gaza acceptable?"

1413 GMT — US tells Israel to avoid 'further civilian harm' in Gaza

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has told Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his forces must avoid inflicting further harm on civilians in Gaza, the State Department said.

"The secretary reaffirmed our support for Israel's right to prevent the terrorist attacks of October 7 from being repeated and stressed the importance of avoiding further civilian harm and protecting civilian infrastructure in Gaza," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said of the talks between Blinken and Netanyahu.

1346 GMT — Families of Israeli hostages try to block aid to Gaza

Families of Israelis held captive by Hamas attempted to block the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza, according to local media.

Israeli police intercepted a march by families of hostages who intended to shut the Kerem Shalom crossing in protest of the delivery of aid shipments to the Palestinian enclave, Haaretz newspaper reported.

The families demand the release of dozens of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza following its cross-border attack on Oct 7.

1331 GMT — EU warns of high risk of spillover of Israeli war on Gaza

The EU foreign policy chief has repeated his warning of a high risk of spillover of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Josep Borrell said there is a high risk of escalation in the region, both along the Israeli-Lebanese border and in the Red Sea, in a press statement issued after his visit to Saudi Arabia.

"We have to avoid the war spilling over. The war has to stop, not to expand. And the only solution for avoiding the war from expanding is to look for a political solution for the conflict between Israel and Palestine," he urged.

1314 GMT — Singapore, Sri Lanka to join US-led Red Sea operation

Singapore and Sri Lanka will join the US-led Red Sea operation amid attacks on cargo ships by Yemen’s Houthi group.

In a statement, the Defense Ministry of Singapore said it will participate in the multinational Operation Prosperity Guardian to counter the Houthi attacks and secure maritime passage in the Red Sea.

"This is part of efforts to ensure the freedom of navigation in this key global sea line of communication," said the statement. Singapore is not deploying any vessel but will contribute personnel for information sharing and planning led by a national representative.

Houthis have targeted vessels in the southern Red Sea, warning it will attack all Israel-bound ships. It says the attacks are to support Palestinians as they face Israel's "aggression and siege" in Gaza.

1257 GMT — Netanyahu holds talks with Blinken in Tel Aviv

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held bilateral talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Tel Aviv, according to his office.

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently holding a private meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, at the Kirya in Tel Aviv," his office said in a statement.

"An expanded meeting with members of the War Cabinet will be held afterward," it added. No details were yet provided about the content of the talks.

1248 GMT — Israeli forces drove over body of a Palestinian: officials

Palestinian officials accused Israel of a "brutal crime" after footage shared on social media appeared to show a military vehicle running over a dead Palestinian in the occupied West Bank.

Palestine's Foreign Ministry said that the footage was from a military operation in the city of Tulkarem.

"This complex and brutal crime is not the first and will not be the last in the series of crimes of the occupation and terrorist settler militia members," the ministry said in a statement. The Palestinian ministry said the incident summed up the "culture of hatred" fostered by Israeli forces.

1154 GMT — Israeli army detains 25 more Palestinians in West Bank

With the overnight arrest of 25 more people, the number of Palestinians arrested by the Israeli army in the occupied West Bank since Oct. 7 has risen to 5,755.

A joint statement issued by the Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority and the Palestinian Prisoners Society said: "The tally of arrests since Oct. 7 has risen to over 5,755, including those apprehended from their homes, at military checkpoints, those compelled to surrender under pressure, and those taken as hostages."

The Israeli occupation forces arrested at least 25 individuals from the occupied West Bank from Monday evening till Tuesday dawn, the statement further added.

1149 GMT — Medics, patients flee Gaza hospitals as bombing intensifies: WHO

World Health Organization officials voiced concern about the possible collapse of hospital provision in occupied southern and central Gaza, with hundreds of medical staff and patients having fled facilities for their lives.

"What we're seeing is really worrying around Al Aqsa Hospital and (an) intensification of hostilities very close to European Gaza Hospital and very close to Nasser (Hospital)," Sean Casey, WHO emergency medical teams coordinator in Gaza, told a Geneva press briefing by video link.

"We cannot lose these health facilities. They absolutely must be protected. This is the last line of secondary and tertiary health care that Gaza has - from the north to the south it's been dropping, hospital after hospital," he said.

1029 GMT — Int'l community has obligation to organise Gaza security: Germany

''The international community must organise security in Gaza after the war and a reformed Palestinian Authority must play a crucial role in future'', Germany's foreign minister said on Tuesday during a visit to Egypt.

"Egypt and Germany are agreed that Gaza and the West Bank belong to Palestinians," Germany's Annalena Baerbock told reporters.

Baerbock said Palestinians should not be driven away.

"We need to have concrete measures today and now. We need to make sure aid is getting to people in Gaza," she said at a news conference with her Egyptian counterpart.

1027 GMT — Israeli army says another 5 soldiers killed in Gaza

The Israeli army has said another five soldiers have been killed in ground battles in Gaza, bringing the total to 9 in the past 24 hours.

Earlier the Israeli army had said four soldiers were killed in fighting with Palestinian groups in southern and central Gaza and six other troops were seriously wounded in the battles.

1014 GMT — Death toll in Israeli attacks on Gaza rises to 23,210

The number of people killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 7 has risen to 23,210, the Health Ministry in the besieged enclave has said.

The ministry in a statement said at least 59,167 others had been injured.

The Israeli forces committed 12 massacres against Palestinian families across the enclave in the last 24 hours, leaving 126 Palestinians killed and 241 others injured, the ministry added.

It said that several victims were still under the rubble and on the streets, as the ambulances were unable to reach them due to relentless Israeli air and ground attacks.

0919 GMT — Hezbollah says targeted Israel base to avenge killings in Lebanon

Hezbollah has said that it targeted the Israel base to avenge killings in Lebanon.

Israel's military however said no damage was caused to one of its army bases in northern Israel after Hezbollah said it launched explosive drones toward the area, officials said.

Earlier three members of Hezbollah have been killed in a targeted strike on their vehicle in the town of Ghandouriyeh in the south of Lebanon.

0908 GMT — Hamas chief urges Muslim states to support ‘resistance with weapons’

Hamas chief has urged Muslim states to support "resistance with weapons".

The statement comes in the wake of continuing Israeli attacks on Gaza.

0853 GMT — Blinken to discuss 'way forward' in Gaza as he meets Israeli leaders

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss the "way forward" in Israel's war in Gaza as he meets with leaders including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after touring Israel's Arab neighbours.

"There's lots to talk about, in particular about the way forward," said Blinken, who has visited Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, as well as Türkiye and Greece, since Saturday.

Speaking alongside Israeli President Isaac Herzog ahead of their meeting on Tuesday morning, Blinken said he would share what he had heard from regional countries during a day of meetings with Israel's government.

0826 GMT — Three Hezbollah members reportedly killed in Israeli strike

Three members of Hezbollah have been killed in a targeted strike on their vehicle in the town of Ghandouriyeh in the south of Lebanon, two sources familiar with the group's operations have told Reuters.

The sources did not immediately identify those killed.

Israel had killed a top Hezbollah commander in a strike in south Lebanon a day prior, sources familiar with the group's operations said.

There was no immediate comment from Israel on Monday's operation.

0825 GMT — 57 bodies brought to Al Aqsa hospital in last 24 hours —Ministry

At least 57 bodies and 65 injured were brought to Gaza's Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital over the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry in the enclave has said.

The ministry, however, did not provide further details of the victims.

0726 GMT — Israel angered over genocide lawsuit, thanks US for support

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has said that "there is nothing more atrocious and preposterous" than the lawsuit filed in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocidal actions against Palestinians in the Gaza war.

Speaking to visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Herzog censured South Africa for bringing the case, which is due to begin hearings on Thursday, and thanked Washington for its support of Israel.

0712 GMT — Israeli army kills dozens of Palestinian fighters in Gaza: military

Israeli forces have killed around 40 Palestinian fighters and raided a compound and tunnel shafts during expanded operations in southern Gaza's Khan Younis, the military has claimed.

Khan Younis hosts one of the largest refugee camps in the enclave where civilians are taking shelter.

Summarising operations since Monday, it said on Tuesday that aircraft hit Hamas fighters in Al-Maghazi, central Gaza.

South and central Gaza have been a focus of the offensive by Israel, which on Saturday declared Hamas infrastructures in the north dismantled.

Israel has faced criticism for killing innocent civilians and falsely identifying them as fighters.

0625 GMT — Israeli soldiers' death toll surge amid Gaza invasion

The Israeli army has said four more soldiers were killed in fighting with Palestinian groups in southern and central Gaza.

Six other troops were seriously wounded in the battles, the military said in a statement cited by the Times of Israel news website on Tuesday.

180 Israeli soldiers have been killed in the besieged enclave since the start of the ground operation on Oct. 27.

The military death toll since the onslaught on Gaza in October, however, has risen to 514.

0015 GMT — Blinken in Tel Aviv as Gaza sees another night of Israeli terror

Top US diplomat Antony Blinken has arrived in Tel Aviv as part of a regional tour as Israel pounded besieged Gaza and Lebanon, raising global fears that Israel could widen its war beyond Gaza.

US Secretary of State Blinken, on his fourth regional trip since Israel's war began, met on Monday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after talks in the United Arab Emirates and ahead of his visit to Israel.

Before leaving Al Ula in Saudi Arabia, Blinken said, "We agreed to work together and coordinate our efforts to help Gaza stabilise and recover and to work toward long term peace and security and stability."

Israeli leaders will tell Blinken that they will not allow Palestinians from northern Gaza to return if Hamas resistance group refuses to free more of the Israeli captives it seized on October 7, Axios reported, quoting two senior Israeli officials.

Washington, Israel's main ally and arms supplier, says it is concerned over the Israeli war's civilian death toll. But it continues to arm Tel Aviv and has never since October 7 called for a ceasefire in Gaza, where Israel's decimation campaign has killed more than 23,000 Palestinians, wounded nearly 59,000 and flattened 60 percent of the enclave's homes and businesses. The US has also torpedoed multiple UNSC resolutions that would have called for truce in Gaza.

Israel is the largest recipient of US military aid. The US has reportedly provided Israel with over 70,000 weapons — aircraft, ground vehicles, missiles and bombs — via military aid between 1950 and 2022.

The US government recently used an emergency authority to allow the sale of about 14,000 tank shells to Israel without congressional review.

Amnesty International has tied some US-supplied munitions directly to Israeli strikes with extensive Palestinian civilian casualties in Gaza.

2342 GMT — Egypt 'not cooperating' with Israel on Philadelphi Corridor

Egypt is not cooperating with Israel regarding the Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow buffer zone between Egypt and Gaza, Egyptian media have reported.

The Egyptian news outlet Al Qahera News quoted an Egyptian official who said such reports were "completely false."

Last week, Israeli media claimed that Israel had asked Egypt for more measures to be enforced and more surveillance equipment to be installed along the Philadelphi Corridor in order to notify Israel if weapons were being smuggled in and to detect the use of tunnels by the Palestinian resistance groups.

The Philadelphi Corridor is a 14-kilometre-long corridor which is guaranteed by the Israel-Egypt peace treaty of 1979.

It has been patrolled by Egyptian security forces after Israeli forces pulled out of Gaza in 2005.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said several times that the corridor must be under Israeli control, a move that if carried out would separate Gaza from Egypt.

There have been no official comments from Egypt or Israel on the reports.

2251 GMT — Israeli army shoots Palestinian woman holding white flag: footage

The Israeli army has shot a woman trying to leave the northern part of occupied Gaza with a white flag in her hand and a child by her side, footage showed.

The footage, obtained by Middle East Eye, was recorded on November 12 in the centre of Gaza City.

In the video, numerous civilians, most of them women and children, can be seen leaving the area towards the south with white flags.

As one woman, walking in the front of a civilian group, holding a white flag and accompanied by a child, moves towards a street, the sound of gunfire is heard.

At that moment, the woman, who was shot, collapses to the ground, and the child and other Palestinians in the group panic and scatter in different directions. The person recording the footage from a nearby building can be heard saying, "The woman has been shot."

Images of Israeli snipers targeting Palestinian civilians in Gaza are frequently brought to public attention.

For our live updates from Monday, January 8, click here.