Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claims to have targeted an Israeli spy base; Israel’s defence minister says intense military operation in southern Gaza is winding downHamas says two Israeli hostages have been killed by airstrikesHouthi attacks continue as US cargo ship hitA US state department spokesperson has said that an Iranian attack near Iraq’s northern city of Erbil on Monday “undermine Iraq’s stability.”“We oppose Iran’s reckless missile strikes,” Matthew Miller said, adding that the US supported “the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government’s efforts to meet the aspirations of the Iraqi people.”Israel’s defence minister, Yoav Gallant, said today that the country’s intense military operation in southern Gaza was nearing its end. However, Gallant noted that Hamas would not agree to release any more hostages without continued military pressure. He accused the Islamist militant group of carrying out “psychological abuse”.An anti-ship ballistic missile fired by Iran-backed Houthi militants struck a Marshall Islands-flagged, US-owned and operated container ship about 100 miles off the Gulf of Aden, the US military confirmed. The ship has reported no injuries or significant damage and is continuing its journey.The strike on the Gibraltar Eagle marks a widening of the theatre of war and raises questions about whether the US-UK naval alliance off Yemen will have to mount a further series of strikes, or even consider liaising actively with ground troops from the UN recognised Presidential Leadership Council – the Saudi-UAE backed coalition government based in Aden.Hamas released a video announcing the death of two Israeli hostages and claimed that they had beenn killed by Israeli airstrikes. The two men are believed to be Yossi Sharabi, 53, and Itay Svirsky, 38. Israel says 132 hostages are still being held by the Islamist militant group and that 25 have died in captivity. The IDF has denied that they were killed by an airstrike.Two young French nationals were injured in Monday’s attack in Raanana, Israel, the French foreign ministry said in a statement, condemning the attack. Continue reading…
Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/jan/16/middle-east-crisis-live-news-updates-us-iran-missile-strikes-iraq-red-sea-crisis-yemen-houthis-gaza-palestine-hamas-war-israel
Author : Jonathan Yerushalmy
Publish date : 2024-01-16 05:46:01
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Middle East crisis live: US condemns Iran’s ‘reckless missile strikes’ in northern Iraq
