War in the Middle East - 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 Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. 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
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: Fight against Iranian axis of terror
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he believed the Gaza war was also a war waged by 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: work on hostage release
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.
Hamas publishes new hostage video
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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Source: www.stern.de
