Israel-Hamas war: Top developments on January 12, 2024

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US sanctions firms supporting Houthis, UN urges calm in Red Sea

Israeli Prime Minister's Office has said that Israel reached a deal with mediator Qatar which will enable provision of medicines to Israeli hostages still in Gaza Strip.

The PMO said that the deal "will allow the entry of medicines for the hostages held by the Hamas terrorist organisation in Gaza"

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Arrested terror plot suspects have links with Hamas: Denmark police

A spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry said on X that a UN Security Council Resolution passed this week called for Yemen’s Houthis to end attacks on ships in the Red Sea as a cover for America's "political goals".

The goal of the United States with this resolution is to "create a necessary shield for the continuation of the Israeli regime’s war crimes in Gaza," the statement said.

"Instead of taking decisive action to stop the crimes of the Israeli regime, the US government continues to stand by the aforementioned regime with full political, military, international and diplomatic support."

The United Arab Emirates' foreign ministry has expressed concern about the consequences of the Houthi attacks in the Bab al-Mandab region and the Red Sea.

In a statement, the ministry said that the Houthi attacks represent “an unacceptable threat to global trade, and to the security of the region”.

All internet and telecom services in Gaza were cut on Friday (Jan 12) as a result of the Israeli bombardment of the Palestinian territory, the main operator said.

"We regret to announce that all telecom services in Gaza Strip have been lost due to the ongoing aggression. Gaza is blacked out again," said Paltel in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Reacting to US and UK air strikes in Yemen, Saudi Arabia said it was monitoring the situation with "great concern." Urging for restraint, The Saudi foreign ministry said: "The kingdom emphasises the importance of maintaining the security and stability of the Red Sea region, as the freedom of navigation in it is an international demand."

Hamas links have been discovered in a planned terror attack that was foiled by Danish authorities in December. As per an AFP report, Danish prosecutor Anders Larsson has confirmed that the seven people suspected of involvement in the foiled attack have "links to Hamas".

On Thursday, anti-war protestors gathered outside the US White House and in New York City's Times Square to voice their opposition to the US and UK airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. They said that the action could escalate the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

"Stop the US-led bombing of Yemen! The Biden admin is threatening to unleash a regional war w/ this retaliation against Yemen’s solidarity w/ Palestine. Anti-war activists are mobilizing at the White House TONIGHT to protest this major escalation," said ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) on X.

Jordan has blamed Israeli "war crimes" against Palestinians for the heightened regional tension and violence in the Red Sea, which it said was threatening to ignite a wider war in the Middle East.

The nation's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also voiced support for South Africa's "genocide" case against Israel at the UN. He said that Amman was ready to submit legal documents and appear in court if the case proceeds.

He alleged that the international community had failed to act to stop Israeli "aggression" against Palestinians.

"The Israeli aggression on Gaza and its continued committing of war crimes against the Palestinian people and violating international law with impunity are responsible for the rising tensions witnessed in the region," he said.

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Friday at least 23,708 have been killed in the territory in nearly 100 days of war between Palestinian militants and Israel.

The ministry said it had registered 60,005 wounded since war erupted on October 7, while scores remain trapped under the rubble.

Images broadcast by the Huthis' Al-Masirah television show explosions and smoke plumes at unidentified locations in Yemen. Heavy air strikes pounded rebel-held cities in Yemen early on Friday, the Huthi rebels' official media and AFP correspondents said.

The capital Sanaa, Hodeida and Saada were all targeted, the Huthis' official media said, blaming "American aggression with British participation". 

NATO on Friday said the US-led strikes on Yemen's Huthis were aimed at protecting shipping through the Red Sea and urged Iran to "rein in its proxies". 

"These strikes were defensive, and designed to preserve freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways. The Huthi attacks must end," Dylan White, a spokesman for the Western military alliance, said. 

Hamas warned Friday of "repercussions" following US and British strikes on Yemen's Huthis, allies of the Palestinian group who have carried out attacks on Red Sea shipping in solidarity with Gaza.

"We vigorously condemn the flagrant American-British attack on Yemen. We hold them responsible for the repercussions on regional security," Gaza rulers Hamas said on Telegram.

Hezbollah said it fired dozens of rockets on the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona in retaliation for the death of two paramedics by Israeli strikes on a health center earlier Thursday.

The Israeli army said 10 launches were fired from Lebanon toward the northern Israeli areas of Kiryat Shmona and Margaliot. It said three of the launches were intercepted.

Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said there were no reports of injuries or damage as the result of rockets.

The Houthi rebels said on Friday that US-led strikes in Yemen killed five people and injured six others, the news agency Associated Press reported. 

On Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul Malek Al-Houthi said that any US attack on Yemen ” will not go unanswered,” cryptically warning that the response will be “much more” than attacking US ships in the sea.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday warned Houthis to back down after the US and the UK launched strikes against the Iran-backed rebels.

"Today's strikes targeted sites associated with the Huthis' unmanned aerial vehicle, ballistic and cruise missile, and coastal radar and air surveillance capabilities," Austin said in a statement. 

A senior member of Yemen's Ansarullah said that the US and UK will soon understand that the strikes on Yemen were their greatest folly in history.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman strongly condemned the US and UK military attacks on Yemen and termed it as an arbitrary action, a clear violation of Yemen's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a violation of international laws, media reports said. 

The US strikes were against over 60 Houthi targets in Yemen at 16 locations.

There were also more than 100 “precision-guided munitions of various types” were used, as per media reports quoting US Air Force, 

In a unique tactic being deployed by ships to evade attacks on them as the Red Sea conflict brews, they are carrying signages to show their link with China, media reports said. 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday (Jan 11) spoke with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and discussed the recent attacks on merchant ships by the Yemen-backed Houthi groups in the Red Sea, as per State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller. 

“We remain prepared, of course, to defend ourselves, but we have not seen a response from the Houthi at this time," media reports said citing a US military official. 

The United States Central Command said on Friday (January 12) that it has launched joint strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen after the Iran-backed militants continued “illegal and reckless attacks” in the Red Sea, media reports said. 

Australia also supported the US and UK militaries when dozen of airstrikes were launched against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said that the decision of launching the strikes “was not taken lightly”.

“On 4 January Australia was part of [a group of] 14 countries which issued a statement warning the Houthi rebels that if they continue to attack maritime activity in the Red Sea, there would be consequences,” Defence Minister Marles said.

“They have continued their attacks on maritime and naval assets. As a result the attacks today have occurred,” he added.

In its daily update, the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that only 145 trucks filled with food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies were able to gain entry into Gaza on Thursday through Kerem Shalom Crossing of Israel and Egypt’s Rafah Crossing.

US Speaker Mike Johnson, while reacting to the attack launched by US and UK on Houthi rebels, said, “This action by U.S. and British forces is long overdue, and we must hope these operations indicate a true shift in the Biden Administration’s approach to Iran and its proxies that are engaging in such evil and wreaking such havoc. They must understand there is a serious price to pay for their global acts of terror and their attacks on U.S. personnel and commercial vessels. America must always project strength, especially in these dangerous times.”

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin monitored the strikes carried out on Houthi targets and gave orders from the hospital “with a full suite of secure communications,” said a senior defence official.

Austin has admitted in the hospital since January 1 after he went a procedure to treat prostate cancer on December 22 and suffered further complications.

“Secretary Austin gave CENTCOM the order today to execute the strikes and monitored real-time with a full suite of secure communications capabilities,” said the US official said.

“Following the strikes, he spoke with the National Security Council, the Chairman and the CENTCOM Commander to for an initial post-strike assessment,” the official added.

The defense official added that between Tuesday and Thursday evening, Austin also spoke with President Joe Biden twice and “conducted multiple daily calls” with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Charles Q. Brown, US Central Command commander Gen. Erik Kurilla, and the National Security Council “to discuss response options and execution following the President’s authorisation.”

The British Royal Air Force said that its strikes targetted two Houthi facilities in Yemen in the joint operations carried out in the southern Red Sea.

In a statement, UK Ministry of Defence said that the targets hit various buildings at a site at Bani in northwestern Yemen.

"Given the persistence of the Houthis in threatening merchant ships, several of which have already suffered damage, and the deliberate targeting of HMS Diamond and US Navy vessels on 9 January, coalition forces identified key facilities involved in these attacks, and agreed to conduct a carefully coordinated strike to reduce the Houthis’ capability to violate international law in this manner," said the ministry.

After the US and UK carried out air strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen, Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry, in a statement, expressed its "great concern" over the attacks and appealed against any further escalation.

"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is following with great concern the military operations taking place in the Red Sea region and the air strikes on a number of sites in the Republic of Yemen," the statement read, calling for "self-restraint and avoiding escalation".

Houthi forces said that they had launched retaliatory attacks against warships of US and UK in the Red Sea after the attack. The statement was made by a senior member of the Houthi group Abdul Salam Jahaf.

Meanwhile, the Houthi deputy foreign minister said that the two countries will have to face severe repercussions for what he called a blatant act of aggression.

Hussein al-Ezzi added that Yemen was targeted in a "massive aggressive assault" by the warships and fighter aircraft of the two countries.

"Our country was subjected to a massive aggressive attack by American and British ships, submarines, and warplanes, and America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression," said al-Ezzi.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday said that the strikes were carried out to reduce the Houthi rebels' ability to target international shipping.

"Today's strikes targeted sites associated with the Huthis' unmanned aerial vehicle, ballistic and cruise missile, and coastal radar and air surveillance capabilities," said Austin, in a statement.

"This action is intended to disrupt and degrade the Huthis' capabilities to endanger mariners and threaten global trade in one of the world's most critical waterways. Today’s coalition action sends a clear message to the Huthis that they will bear further costs if they do not end their illegal attacks," Austin said.

In a statement, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that the strikes carried out on Houthi rebels in Yemen were "necessary and proportionate".

"Despite the repeated warnings from the international community, the Houthis have continued to carry out attacks in the Red Sea. We have therefore taken limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence, alongside the United States... to degrade Houthi military capabilities and protect global shipping,” Sunak said.

United States President Joe Biden on Thursday (Jan 11) announced that the forces of Washington and Britain launched air strikes targeting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen in "defensive action", in the wake of escalating attacks on vessels in the Red Sea.

Biden, in a statement, said that he "will not hesitate" to give orders for further military action, if required. The air strikes were made on various cities in Yemen, where the Houthis are controlling a good amount of territory, as reported by news agency AFP.

As per US media, the strikes involved various Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets. Read More...