US Navy Destroys Iran-backed Militia Attacks in Red Sea; Israeli Forces Target Hamas Strongholds: A United States Navy ship destroyed three boats carrying Yemeni rebels supported by Iran. These rebels attacked a container ship owned by Denmark early on Sunday. This attack is part of many assaults that have disrupted shipping in the Red Sea.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces raided a significant Hamas command post in Khan Younis on Saturday. They gathered information as Israel searches for Hamas leaders and tunnels in the group’s stronghold in Gaza. This area is currently the main focus of Israel’s ground campaign.
The Maersk Hangzhou, a container ship operating between Europe and Asia, was attacked with missiles on Saturday evening. Four boats later approached and shot at the vessel, attempting to board it, as reported by the Danish shipping company Moller-Maersk.
In response, helicopters from nearby US Navy ships reacted to the gunfire from boats controlled by the Houthis, a rebel group in Yemen supported by Iran. They sank three boats and killed their crews early on Sunday. The fourth boat escaped. Since November, the Houthis have attacked more than 20 commercial ships.
Iran-backed militant groups have been attacking Western interests due to US support for Israel’s military actions. These attacks in the Red Sea have led shipping companies, oil producers, and cargo owners to stop using this route after some of their vessels were attacked by Houthi militants.
Initially, these Iranian allies said they targeted Israeli shipping in response to the Gaza conflict. However, they have expanded their attacks to other ships passing through the Bab el-Mandeb, an essential crossing between the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea.
Ami Daniel, the CEO of a maritime artificial-intelligence company, stated, “The attacks no longer seem to have any connection to Israel. The Houthis are not deterred by the coalition."
In response to the increased danger, the Indian navy sent three warships to protect commercial vessels in the Arabian Sea. This move followed an attack on a chemical tanker off the Indian coast. Additionally, the UK sent a warship to join a US-led naval task force earlier this month.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supports an international coalition to safeguard waterways. However, he emphasized that Israel will not let this threat harm its citizens or economy.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military raided Hamas’s local headquarters in Khan Younis. They also targeted a Hamas intelligence command center. Israel reinforced its ground troops in Khan Younis by adding more paratroopers recently.
The military confirmed clashes with Hamas across the city and in northern Gaza. Netanyahu informed the cabinet that Israeli forces killed over 100 militants in the last two days.
In northern Gaza, Israel aims to control the area and locate tunnels and military infrastructure. In different parts of Gaza, Israeli forces cleared booby-trapped buildings and called airstrikes on militants, intensifying their operations.
Israel is focusing on gaining control in Daraj Tuffah, one of the last significant strongholds of Hamas in northern Gaza. Israel pledged to eliminate Hamas after an attack it claims killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in southern Israel on October 7. The US has labeled Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Following this assault, Israel launched an offensive on Gaza that has resulted in nearly 22,000 deaths, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Most casualties were women and children. However, the reported figures don't distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths.
As Israel faces pressure to shift to less intense operations, it continues its offensive in central and southern parts of Gaza.
Netanyahu promised to take control of Gaza’s border with Egypt to halt Hamas’s weapons smuggling. Analysts suggest that this would require moving Israeli forces into the border town of Rafah, possibly escalating tensions with Egypt.
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