Live blog: Houthis say they targeted US ships with ballistic missiles

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

2100 GMT — Yemen's Houthi group has said that its fighters targeted a number of US warships with ballistic missiles in the Gulf of Aden and Bab al Mandeb while they were protecting two US commercial vessels.

The "clash" led to a US warship being directly hit and forced the two commercial vessels "to withdraw and return," the Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement.

One missile missed its target and a US Navy destroyer shot down the other two, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.

US Central Command said the missiles were fired "toward the US-flagged, owned, and operated container ship M/V Maersk Detroit" without mentioning a second vessel being targeted. No injuries or damage to the ship were reported, it added.

Saree said several of the Houthi group's missiles hit their targets, forcing the US merchant ships to turn back.

Houthis say they are targeting Israeli-linked vessels in support of Palestinians in besieged Gaza, which has been ravaged by Israel's war that has inflamed tensions across the Middle East.

Saree reiterated that the Houthis would continue targeting Israeli-linked shipping "until a ceasefire is achieved in Gaza".

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2000 GMT — Qatar 'appalled' after Netanyahu slams mediation efforts

Qatar has said it was "appalled" by comments made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticising the mediation efforts of the Gulf Arab country with Hamas.

In a meeting with relatives of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, Netanyahu said Qatar's role as mediator was "problematic."

In a leaked recording of the meeting, Netanyahu told the families that he has intentionally not thanked Qatar for its mediation efforts, claiming it could put more pressure on Hamas resistance group.

"Qatar in my opinion is no different in essence from the U.N. It is no different in essence from the Red Cross and in some ways it is even more problematic," he said. Netanyahu also said he had expressed anger at the US for renewing a military base in the Gulf state. He said he told the Americans to put pressure on Qatar to put pressure on Hamas.

Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed al Ansari, said his government was "appalled” by the reported remarks by Netanyahu.

"These remarks if validated, are irresponsible and destructive to the efforts to save innocent lives, but are not surprising," he said. "If the reported remarks are found to be true, the Israeli PM would only be obstructing and undermining the mediation process, for reasons that appear to serve his political career instead of prioritizing saving innocent lives, including Israeli hostages," al Ansari said.

1836 GMT — Israel shells two hospitals in Gaza's Khan Younis

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza accused the Israeli army of shelling two medical facilities in the southern city of Khan Younis.

"Israeli forces are extensively shelling the vicinity of Nasser Medical Complex and al Amal Hospital" in Khan Younis, ministry spokesperson Ashraf al Qudra told Anadolu.

He said Israeli forces blocked roads to the two facilities and prevented ambulance dispatches there. The spokesperson warned that patients and medical staff at the two facilities “are at severe risk."

1858 GMT — Thousands of Israelis rally in Tel Aviv, demanding release of hostages in Gaza

Thousands of Israelis blocked the main street in Tel Aviv to demand the release of hostages in Gaza, according to Israeli media reports.

1851 GMT — Gaza conflict will 'further escalate' unless Israeli war machine is stopped, warns Pakistan

Pakistan warned that there is "every" possibility of further escalation of violence and war in the Middle East unless the Israeli war machine is stopped.

Addressing the UN Security Council's ministerial-level debate on the Middle East, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN Munir Akram deplored the international community's "failure" to stop the "genocide" in Gaza, said a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad.

He said the violence and war in Palestine have spread to neighbouring areas, including the Israel-Lebanon border, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. "Unless the Israeli war machine is stopped, there is every likelihood of further escalation in which many nations may be engulfed," he feared.

"It is sad that despite the calls by the General Assembly in two resolutions, despite the near-unanimous votes in this Security Council, the international community has failed to stop this genocide taking place in front of our eyes," he added.

1736 GMT — World Court to rule on Gaza emergency measures in Israel genocide case on Jan 26

Judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will rule on Friday whether or not they will grant emergency measures against Israel following accusations by South Africa that the Israeli war in Gaza is a state-led genocide.

The United Nations' top court issued a statement saying the 17-judge panel will hand down its ruling in court on January 26 at 1200 GMT.

1711 GMT — Israeli forces block hospital access in Khan Younis: ministry

Israeli forces block roads to Nasser and Al Amal hospitals in Khan Younis, preventing ambulance dispatches, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza.

1709 GMT —US adviser in Doha for talks about possibilities of Gaza hostage deal: White House

President Joe Biden's Middle East adviser Brett McGurk is in Doha, Qatar, having discussions about the possibilities of another hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, White House spokesperson John Kirby said.

1647 GMT — Humanitarian situation in Gaza 'extremely dire': UN

A UN official voiced concern about the dire humanitarian situation in the besieged Gaza and urged Israel to open more crossings for aid delivery.

"The description of what's happening there, we're looking at the humanitarian situation which is extremely, extremely dire.

"And the human part of it is the most important part for us," Humanitarian Coordinator and interim for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, James McGoldrick, told the reporters virtually. The UN and its partners on the ground are working to address the crisis, he said.

"So, for us, the most important factor is actually to try and address that at every means possible across the four key sectors of the life-saving ability of water, sanitation, health, food, and shelter," according to McGoldrick, said it cannot be done alone.

"We have to do it with the Israeli authorities to give us the help, the support, and the permissiveness of opening up more crossing points, increasing the pipeline, getting into security," he said.

The UN is serving a population of 2.2 million through one crossing point, Kerem Shalom, said McGoldrick, adding that just one crossing is "not very efficient." "We need as many crossings as we possibly can," he said.

1624 GMT — Israeli tank shelling kills 9 at UN shelter in Gaza — official

Tank shelling on a UN shelter killed nine people in Gaza's main southern city of Khan Younis, said the Gaza head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

"Two tank rounds hit building that shelters 800 people - reports now 9 dead and 75 injured," Thomas White, the Director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza, said on X, formerly Twitter.

Teams from UNRWA and the World Health Organisation were trying to reach the shelter, which had been blocked for two days, White said.

"There was an estimated 10,000 people sheltering at that facility," James McGoldrick, interim UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories, told reporters by video link.

1602 GMT — Israel 'must pay price' for hostages' release: Haaretz

Israeli media outlet Haaretz has called on the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "pay the price" for the release of hostages held by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas in Gaza.

"The government has adhered to the line it adopted from the beginning, according to which military pressure will foster a hostage deal, although that belief is challenged with every passing day," Haaretz said in an editorial.

"The awful fear and concern held by the hostages’ families for their loved ones is entirely justified, and as Israel delays advancing a deal, the number of dead on the list of 136 hostages will continue increasing."

1537 GMT — Türkiye warns of avoiding spillover of developments in Gaza into Syria

The Turkish Foreign Ministry warned of avoiding spillover of developments in Gaza into Syria.

Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Yildiz held bilateral meetings on the margins of the Astana Meetings in Kazakhstan's capital, it wrote on X.

Yildiz "conveyed our messages to our interlocutors in order to avoid any reflection of the developments in Gaza to Syria, and to immediately revitalize the political process for the settlement of humanitarian issues and finding a permanent solution within the framework of UNSC Resolution 2254," it said.

1525 GMT — Algeria calls for UN-sponsored peace conference to end Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands

Algeria has called for holding an international peace conference under the auspices of the United Nations to end the decades-long Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands.

"What’s happening in Gaza today brings back to the forefront more than ever the need to speed up efforts to address the essence of the conflict by renewing and activating our collective commitment to the two-state solution for a just, lasting, and final solution," Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf told a meeting of the UN Security Council member-states in New York.

He called on the UN "to firmly respond" to Israeli voices rejecting the two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

1409 GMT — Israel says 21 more soldiers injured in Gaza fighting

Another 21 Israeli soldiers have been injured in the besieged Gaza in the last 24 hours, according to the Israeli military.

1345 GMT — UNRWA centre in Gaza hit, mass casualties — director

A UNRWA training centre sheltering tens of thousands of displaced people has been hit with buildings ablaze and mass casualties, Thomas White, the Director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza said on X.

"Safe access to/from the centre has been denied for two days, people are trapped," he added.

1342 GMT — Israel rules out Gaza ceasefire amid talk of hostage deal

Israel ruled out a Gaza ceasefire, with a government spokesperson appearing to push back against media reports of a possible new mediated deal with Hamas under which fighting would be halted in exchange for a hostage release.

"Commenting on reported ceasefire agreements, Israel will not give up on the destruction of Hamas, the return of all the hostages, and there will be no security threat from Gaza towards Israel," the spokesperson, Ilana Stein, said in a briefing.

"There will be no ceasefire. In the past there were pauses for humanitarian purposes. That agreement was breached by Hamas."

1206 GMT — Israeli minister renews call for striking Gaza with 'nuclear bomb'

Israel’s far-right Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu renewed his call for striking Gaza with a "nuclear bomb."

"Even in The Hague, they know my position," The Times of Israel newspaper quoted Eliyahu as saying during a tour in the West Bank city of Hebron, in reference to his previous call for using nuclear weapons in Gaza.

In November, Eliyahu said dropping a "nuclear bomb" on Gaza is "an option." The hardline minister, who has extremist rhetoric against Palestinians, also called for encouraging Gaza’s population to migrate from the enclave.

1153 GMT — Israel holding up humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza — Egypt

The Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza is open 24/7, but the procedures by Israel to allow the entry of aid are obstructing the process, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi said.

"This is part of how they exert pressure on the issue of releasing the hostages", he added.

1150 GMT — Israeli army detains 35 more Palestinians in West Bank raids

The Israeli forces rounded up 35 more Palestinians across the occupied West Bank, according to prisoners' affairs groups.

The detentions took place in several areas in the occupied territory, including Tulkarm, Nablus, Salfit, Jenin, Ramallah, Jerusalem, Hebron, and Jericho, the Commission of Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Society said in a joint statement.

The figure includes those picked from homes, detained at military checkpoints, and forced to surrender, the statement said.

1059 GMT — No progress in ceasefire in Gaza, prisoners swap with Hamas: Israeli official

No progress has been made in indirect talks with Hamas for a ceasefire in Gaza or a prisoners swap deal, an Israeli official said.

"In the meantime, there is no breakthrough in the negotiations with Hamas," Israeli public broadcaster KAN quoted an Israeli official as saying without mentioning his name.

The official added that the resistance group is not flexible and is escalating its demands but noted that talks are ongoing.

1018 GMT — Palestinian death toll reaches 25,700 amid Israel's bombardment

At least 25,700 Palestinians have been killed and 63,740 injured in Israeli bombardment and invasion of Gaza since October 7, the Gaza health ministry has said in a statement.

Some 210 were killed and 386 were injured in the past 24 hours, the ministry added.

0955 GMT — Israel kills 125 Palestinians in overnight strikes in Gaza

Heavy Israeli bombardment of Gaza overnight killed at least 125 people, the health ministry has said, against the backdrop of talks in Cairo aimed at reaching a truce.

As the fighting raged, the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said Israeli forces had issued fresh evacuation orders for a section of Khan Younis housing an estimated half a million residents and displaced people.

The orders came as the World Food Programme warned Gaza residents were facing "catastrophic food insecurity", and as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres took Israel to task over its rejection of a two-state solution — seen by ally the United States as the only path to a durable peace.

0913 GMT — South Africa expects ICJ judgment on Gaza on Friday: local media

South Africa expects the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to rule this Friday on whether it will grant emergency measures to stop Israel's war in Gaza, South African news website News24 reported, citing two sources close to the matter. A spokesperson for South Africa's justice ministry told Reuters "no communique yet".

In the initial ruling, the ICJ will not deal with the main question of whether Israel is committing genocide.

The court will just look at possible emergency measures, meant as a kind of restraining order while the court looks at the full case, which usually takes years.

0905 GMT — Israel troops demolish Palestinian home in occupied West Bank

Israeli troops have blown up the home of a Palestinian accused of assisting in the killing of four Israelis near a settlement in the occupied West Bank in June, witnesses say.

Basil Shehadeh was arrested on suspicion of helping two other Palestinians carry out the deadly shooting at a petrol station near Eli settlement in the northern occupied West Bank.

Troops stormed the village of Orif overnight and surrounded Basil Shehadeh's house, witnesses said.

"The family were evacuated from the three-storey building, then the second floor of the building was blown up," village council secretary Adel al Amer said.

The Israeli military confirmed it had demolished Basil's house overnight.

0843 GMT — Qatar delays LNG Shipments to Europe amid Red Sea conflict: report

Qatar, one of the world's biggest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters, is delaying some shipments to Europe as conflict in the Red Sea forces longer travel times, Bloomberg News has reported.

Qatar informed some European buyers of delays and rescheduled shipments, the report said, citing traders with knowledge of the matter.

According to the report, the traders said that Qatar is reshuffling global supply to meet contractual obligations, diverting deliveries from elsewhere and swapping for available cargoes near Europe.

As per the report, Qatar has diverted at least six shipments destined for Europe around the Cape of Good Hope in southern Africa since January 15, instead of the shorter route through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.

0834 GMT — Israeli shelling kills three Palestinians outside Red Crescent HQ

Three displaced Palestinians have been killed in Israeli shelling in front of the Red Crescent headquarters in the city of Khan Younis, southern Gaza, the humanitarian organisation has said.

"Three displaced individuals were killed and two others were injured due to the occupation's targeting in front of the northern gate of the PRCS headquarters in Khan Younis," the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said in a statement on X.

Areas around the main hospitals in Khan Younis, crowded with thousands of displaced Palestinians, have been experiencing heavy Israeli bombardment and shelling since Monday.

0809 GMT — 'Enough is enough', Slovenia slams Israeli attacks on Gaza

Slovenia's Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon has called for an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Israeli attacks have continued for over 100 days, saying "enough is enough."

Fajon highlighted the need for an immediate ceasefire and a political solution to address the ongoing conflict in an interview with Anadolu Agency, saying the hostilities must stop "because there is an urgent need for humanitarian assistance."

Fajon said, "We see day to day a worsening of the humanitarian situation, a humanitarian crisis. Thousands of children and women (were) killed, and we have to stop it. Enough is enough."

She stated, "We have to be serious about the two-state solution," adding it would be the only guarantee for the safety of Israelis and Palestinians.

0743 GMT — UK's Cameron to urge regional leaders for ‘sustainable ceasefire in Gaza’

UK's Foreign Secretary David Cameron will visit the Middle East and Türkiye to “urge regional leaders to work with the UK to achieve a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza,” an official statement has said.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office statement said Cameron, who is travelling to the region for the third time in the last two months, will seek support for the release of hostages and to “reach a sustainable, permanent ceasefire.”

“The Foreign Secretary travels to the Middle East and Türkiye this week where he will urge regional leaders to work with the UK to achieve a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, so that Israelis and Palestinians can build a peaceful future together,” it said.

“No one wants to see this conflict go on a moment longer than necessary. An immediate pause is now necessary to get aid in and hostages out. The situation is desperate,” Cameron said ahead of his trip to the region.

0550 GMT — US asks China to urge Iran to curb Red Sea attacks by Houthis: FT

The United States has asked China to urge Tehran to rein in the Iranian-aligned Houthis attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea, US officials have said.

However, the US has seen little sign of help from Beijing despite repeatedly raising the matter with top Chinese officials in the past three months, the Financial Times reported, citing officials.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and his deputy, Jon Finer, discussed the issue in meetings this month in Washington with Liu Jianchao, head of the International Liaison Department of China's Communist Party.

In addition, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised the issue with his Chinese counterpart, the report said, adding US officials believe there was little evidence that China had put any pressure on Iran to restrain the Houthis beyond a mild statement Beijing issued last week.

0354 GMT — Iran accuses US of supporting Israel's 'genocide' in Gaza

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has said that Israel "does not observe any red line in the genocide" against Palestine.

"We have all gathered today in the (UN) Security Council in a situation where the occupying and apartheid regime of Israel does not observe any red line in the genocide against Palestine in Gaza and the West Bank," Amir-Abdollahian told a Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

The US, as the "practical supporter" of Israel, has prevented the Council from establishing a cease-fire in Gaza.

Despite the US repeatedly expressing its "grave concern" over this spillover of tension in the region, he said, it continues its full support for Israel and even violates the sovereignty of Yemen and expands the scope of the conflict.

0336 GMT — US says it struck two Houthi anti-ship missiles in Yemen

The US military has carried out more strikes in Yemen, destroying two Houthi anti-ship missiles that were aimed at the Red Sea and were preparing to launch, the US military claimed in a statement.

The US strikes, which took place at roughly 2:30 am [2330 GMT], are the latest against the Iran-allied group over its targeting of Red Sea shipping and followed a larger round of strikes a day earlier.

The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have said their attacks on Israel-linked ships are in solidarity with besieged Palestinians as Israel pummels Gaza.

The attacks have disrupted global shipping and deepened concern that fallout from Israel's war on Gaza could destabilise the Middle East.

2213 GMT — Israel's war on Gaza won't lead to peace or submission: Türkiye

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has slammed the international community for not stopping the war on besieged Gaza and voiced concern about the spillover effect of the war to the region.

"One hundred and nine days into the conflict, it is a shame that the international community is still unable to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and the West Bank," Fidan told a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East

"Gaza used to be an open prison. Now, it is a battleground where the Israeli Prime Minister [Benjamin Netanyahu] runs military operations for killing civilians to extend his political life," Fidan added.

"The argument that the current war is about providing security for Israel is far from being convincing. Yet, the proponents of this argument never talk about the security of the Palestinians nor Palestine's right to self-defence," said Fidan.

0200 GMT — Israel kills dozens in new Gaza strikes: Palestine

Israeli air strikes have killed dozens of civilians and wounded others in different areas of besieged Gaza, particularly Khan Younis in the south, Palestinian WAFA news agency reported.

At least seven civilians, mostly women, were killed, and others were wounded after Israeli warplanes bombed a house in the Jabalia area, north of Gaza, the state-run news agency said.

Israeli air strikes also shelled a house belonging to the Zaml family, resulting in the killing of seven people, including five females, WAFA reported.

Israeli shelling killed three civilians and wounded others in a house west of the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, the news agency said.

In Khan Younis, Israel killed a young man in the Gaza Industrial Estate to the west of the city while Israeli jets bombed a vehicle west of Rafah, in the southern enclave, resulting in several casualties.

Several civilians were also killed, and dozens of others were wounded after Israeli warplanes targeted the beach of Khan Younis, the news agency said.

0148 GMT — UNSC member states continue to press for ceasefire

UN Security Council member states have continued to call for a ceasefire in besieged Gaza at a meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Israel-Palestine conflict rooted in Israel's decades-old occupation of Palestinian lands.

Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Slovenia, Mozambique, Indonesia, and China all called for a ceasefire during the meeting.

Jordan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Ayman Safadi said, "The clock is ticking" and "Stop the massacre". Saudi Arabia's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Waleed El Khereiji, said the priority was to alleviate the suffering and bring an end to the crisis in Palestine.

Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations, said the scale of suffering in besieged Gaza competes with the darkest periods of history.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi also demanded an immediate and permanent ceasefire, which would be a "game-changer for everything," and China's UN Ambassador Zhang Jun reiterated that an immediate ceasefire must be considered the priority.

2222 GMT — Gaza protesters repeatedly interrupt Biden abortion speech

Protesters chanting slogans against Israel's brutal war in besieged Gaza have repeatedly interrupted US President Joe Biden during an election campaign event to promote abortion rights.

Demonstrators held up a Palestinian flag and shouted around eight times during the speech in Manassas, Virginia, where Biden addressed an audience gathered to show their support in the next presidential elections.

2210 GMT — France says 'full international community must be mobilised to rebuild Gaza'

French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne has urged the international community to come together and contribute to the reconstruction of besieged Gaza.

Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on Gaza, Sejourne described the situation in the Palestinian enclave as "tragic" and said "the full international community must be mobilised to rebuild Gaza."

"In light of what has been played out between Israelis and Palestinians, there are two options for this council," he said, citing those who choose division and those who choose to invade their neighbour, such as Ukraine, in the Middle East, and seek division rather than unity.

"I, for my part, will make a different choice by saying two things: we can, we must stand alongside both Israelis and Palestinians. And we can, and we must say difficult things to both sides," said Sejourne.

"France is a friend of Israel, just as it is a friend of the Palestinian people. Hence, I must say to Israel, which understands the friendship of the French people, that there must be a Palestinian state, and that violence towards the Palestinian people, particularly that committed by extremist settlers, must end, and that international law applies to everyone."

2138 GMT — One-month Gaza truce focus of intensive talks: Reuters

Israel and Palestinian resistance group Hamas broadly agree in principle that an exchange of Israeli captives for Palestinian prisoners could take place during a month-long ceasefire, but the framework plan is being held up by the two sides' differences over how to bring a permanent end to the Gaza war, three sources told Reuters news agency.

Intense mediation efforts led by Qatar and Egypt in recent weeks have focused on a phased approach to release different categories of Israeli hostages — starting with civilians and ending with soldiers — in return for a break in hostilities, the release of Palestinian prisoners and more aid to Gaza.

The latest round of shuttle diplomacy started on December 28 and has narrowed disagreements about the length of an initial ceasefire to around 30 days, after Hamas had first proposed a pause of several months, said one of the sources, an official briefed on the negotiations.

However, Hamas has since refused to move forward with the plans until the future conditions of a permanent ceasefire are agreed, according to six sources. Most of the sources consulted for this story requested anonymity in order to speak freely about sensitive matters.

While Israel has sought to negotiate one stage at a time, Hamas is seeking "a package deal" that agrees a permanent ceasefire before hostages are released during the initial phase, said one of the sources, a Palestinian official close to the mediation efforts. Israel and Hamas are speaking through the mediators, not talking directly.

For our live updates from Monday, January 23, click here.