After Houthi attacks in the Red Sea: USA establishes alliance to protect ships

Table of contents

• Renewed attacks on ships by Houthi rebels
• Israel accuses Hezbollah of "constant escalation"
• USA working on hostage release - Hamas releases new hostage video
• What will be important on Tuesday

War in the Middle East - After Houthi attacks in the Red Sea: USA establishes alliance to protect ships

Against the backdrop of the Gaza war and increasing attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea, Israel's ally, the USA, is forging a military security alliance for the region with European and other partners. According to the US Department of Defense, "Operation Prosperity Guardian" is intended to better protect merchant ships from attacks by the Houthi rebels supported by Israel's arch-enemy Iran. According to Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, Germany is examining a request to participate.

Meanwhile, Israel is continuing its war against Hamas in Gaza, while the situation on its border with Lebanon is also worsening.

Renewed attacks on ships by Houthi rebels

According to the US military, there were renewed attacks by Houthi rebels on two ships in the southern Red Sea. The tanker "Swan Atlantic" was attacked on Monday by a drone and a missile fired from a Houthi-controlled area in Yemen. The freighter "M/V Clara" reported an explosion in the water in its vicinity. No casualties were reported in any of the incidents.

Since the outbreak of the Gaza war, the Houthi rebels in Yemen have been attacking Israel with drones and missiles and attacking ships in the Red Sea to prevent them from sailing towards Israel. A container freighter belonging to the German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd was also attacked. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who is currently in the region, stated that this is an international challenge that requires joint action.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he believed the Gaza war was also a war of the USA because they were leading the civilized world. It is also a fight against the Iranian axis of terror, which is now threatening to close the Bab al-Mandeb strait. This threatened freedom of navigation. Netanyahu also reaffirmed his country's determination to achieve a "complete victory against Hamas" in Gaza.

Israel accuses Hezbollah of "constant escalation"

However, Israel is not only fighting in the Gaza Strip, there are also repeated confrontations on its northern borders. The situation in the border area with Lebanon is coming to a head. Israel's military warned the Hezbollah militia there of an intensification of the fighting. "We are closer to war today than we were yesterday," said military spokesman Jonathan Conricus on Monday, accusing Hezbollah of a "steady, systematic escalation along the border".

The Shia militia, which is closely linked to Iran, was "embroiling Lebanon in a dangerous war". A diplomatic solution is being sought. If this is not achieved, the Israeli military is prepared to "use its capabilities to allow Israeli civilians in the border area to return to their homes". According to the information, around 80,000 Israeli civilians have been evacuated in recent months due to the fighting in the north. According to the military, Israel was also once again bombarded with rockets from Syria. In response, Israel attacked positions in Syria.

USA working on hostage release - Hamas releases new hostage video

Meanwhile, the US government says it is working on a new agreement to release the hostages held by the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip. "But I can't say that we're at a point where another agreement is imminent," said National Security Council Communications Director John Kirby. A possible deal would again include ceasefires and humanitarian aid.

According to a media report, the head of the Israeli secret service Mossad is sounding out new negotiations for the release of the hostages. Mossad chief David Barnea consulted with CIA director William Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Abdulrahman Al Thani in Warsaw, the newspaper "Haaretz" reported. Kirby did not confirm the CIA chief's trip and referred to the US secret service.

According to Israeli estimates, at least 109 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip. Hamas is also not releasing the bodies of several kidnapped people. Meanwhile, Hamas released a new video of Israeli hostages on Monday. The footage shows three older men, one of whom speaks into the camera in Hebrew. It was initially unclear under what circumstances the video was made and when it was filmed. According to Israeli media reports, the three men had been abducted from a kibbutz in the Israeli border region to the Gaza Strip.

What will be important on Tuesday

UN aid organizations in Geneva provide information about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

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1. The renewed attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Houthi rebels have led to concerns in the Middle East, particularly in Israel, whose arch-enemy Iran is said to support the rebels.
2. As a response, the United States Department of Defense is establishing a military security alliance with European and other partners to protect merchant ships from Houthi attacks.
3. Israel, meanwhile, is continuing its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, while tensions with Hezbollah along its northern border with Lebanon are also escalating.
4. According to the US military, two ships, including a container freighter belonging to German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd, were recently attacked by Houthi rebels in the southern Red Sea.
5. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes that the Gaza war is also a war of the USA, as they are leading the civilized world, and a fight against the Iranian axis of terror.
6. The USA Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has stated that the attacks on ships are an international challenge requiring joint action from countries affected.
7. Despite ongoing negotiations for the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Israeli estimates suggest that at least 109 hostages are still being held.
8. Hamas has released a new video of Israeli hostages, which shows three older men in Hebrew, raising concerns about their safety and well-being.
9. Houthi rebels have been attacking ships in the Red Sea to prevent them from sailing towards Israel since the outbreak of the Gaza war.
10. The situation on Israel's northern border with Lebanon is worsening, with Israel's military warning the Hezbollah militia of an intensification of the fighting.
11. The Shia militia, which is closely linked to Iran, is accused of embarking Lebanon in a dangerous war, with Israeli military prepared to use its capabilities to protect civilians in the border area.
12. The United States Department of Defense is working on Operation Prosperity Guardian, an alliance with European and other partners, to better protect merchant ships from attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

Source: www.stern.de