Israel-Hamas Conflict: US, UK Warships Intercept Large Drone, Missile Barrage By Houthis

Red Sea security can be achieved without triggering new war: Italian defense minister

Italian defense minister Guido Crosetto told Reuters Wednesday that the disruption in the Red Sea due to Houthi attacks was indeed "a huge problem" as it is "a consequence of other (war) outbreaks."

However, he noted that there is no need "to open a third front of war at this time" in the goal of achieving security in the area.

Italy has said it will send a naval ship to the area but has not joined Operation Prosperity Guardian, the U.S. led coalition that seeks to protect commercial shipping operations in the Red Sea.

Blinken tells Netanyahu a two-state solution will bring 'sustainable peace'

Blinken told Netanyahu during their Tuesday meeting that there was a "need to ensure lasting, sustainable peace for Israel and the region, including by the realization of a Palestinian state," as per a statement from the State Department.

The U.S. Secretary of State is also meeting Palestinian leaders to discuss the developments of the war in Gaza.

Houthis say Tuesday drone, missile barrage just a 'preliminary response'

The Yemeni rebel militia on Wednesday released a statement regarding the drone and missile barrage it launched toward merchant shipping lanes Tuesday, saying it was only a "preliminary response to the malicious attack on our naval forces by" the U.S. on Sunday.

It said the attacks were targeted at "an American ship that was providing support" to Israel.

The rebel group said it will continue to allow shipping traffic in the Red Sea for all vessels "except" those heading to Israel. It also warned that its forces "will not hesitate to deal appropriately with all hostile threats" against Yemen and its people.

As reported earlier, CENTCOM said multiple U.S. battleships and a British warship shot down 18 drones and three missiles launched by Houthis Tuesday.

UN Security Council to vote on Houthi resolution

The United Nations Security Council will vote Wednesday on a resolution condemning Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and demanding that the Yemeni rebel group stop targeting commercial shipping lanes in the area.

Israeli warplane attacks Hezbollah base in southern Lebanon

An Israeli fighter jet attacked a Hezbollah "military headquarters" in Kfar Shuba, southern Lebanon Tuesday night, the IDF said. Also on Tuesday, Israeli troops destroyed an observation post in the Eliham region belonging to the Iran-backed terror group.

Another warplane attacked "an area where terrorist infrastructure and a military structure were being built" Wednesday morning, the Israeli army added.

Houthis to make 'important' announcement Wednesday

Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sare'e said the Yemeni rebel militia will make an "important announcement" Wednesday afternoon.

The rebel paramilitary group has been on a rampage in the Red Sea in recent weeks. On Tuesday, U.S. and British warships downed one of the largest barrage of rockets and drones launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen.

Over 150 Hamas targets attacked overnight

More than 150 Hamas targets were attacked by Israeli forces overnight across the Gaza Strip, the IDF said Wednesday.

The IDF also said its ground troops continue to operate in two specific areas: Maghazi camp and Khan Yunis following scaled down activities in the northern part of the enclave.

IDF making 'vast efforts' to minimize civilian harm: Spokesperson

The Israeli army is "making vast efforts to minimize to the civilians that Hamas has forced into the role of human shields," IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a late Tuesday briefing.

"This might not fit the narrative told on TV or TikTok, but our actions are proof that we care more about the people of Gaza than Hamas, who sees the suffering of their own people as strategy," he said.

He also said the IDF was prepared to facilitate "as much humanitarian aid as the world will give." He also noted that the IDF has screened humanitarian aid trucks "faster" than organizations can get the supplies into Gaza.

IDF special forces working on intel over 'estimates' Hamas may transfer hostages: Report

Special forces of the IDF are working on intelligence "in Sinai, Sudan and Libya" due to "estimates" that Hamas leadership "may transfer the abductees to Egypt and from there to other countries," Israel's national broadcaster Kan reported Wednesday, citing the Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper.

International Business Times cannot independently verify the report.

There are still more than 130 hostages in Hamas captivity. Talks for a potential new ceasefire-hostage deal stalled following the assassination of Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas' deputy leader in Lebanon last week.

UN monitoring nonprofit says Telegram group of thousands of UNRWA teachers praised Oct. 7 Hamas operatives

UN Watch, the nonprofit that monitors the UN's performance, said on Wednesday it found that a Telegram group made up of 3,000 teachers with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was "replete with posts celebrating the Hamas massacre of October 7^th minutes after it began."

The said Telegram group allegedly had posts that called Hamas operatives in the Oct. 7 raid in Israel as "heroes." The teachers within the group allegedly "gleefully" shared "photos of dead or captured Israelis" and urged for "the execution of hostages."

Hillel Neuer, UN Watch's executive director, said the revelations found in the Telegram group is "the motherlode of UNRWA teachers' incitement to Jihadi terrorism." Neuer also posted some screenshots of the alleged conversations among teachers who were part of the Telegram group in question.

Elon Musk explains why Hamas X account got suspended

The tech mogul and owner of X, formerly Twitter, explained in a thread on the social media platform Tuesday that it was a "tough call" to remove the account of Hamas, but it was necessary due to the site's "UN exemption rule."

"Hamas is not recognized as a government by the UN, so was suspended," he said.

Former British opposition leader to join South Africa's ICJ delegation

Former leader of the British Labor party Jeremy Corbyn will join South Africa's delegation at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) this week for hearings on the case South Africa filed against Israel.

The ICJ will hold two-day public hearings at The Hague starting Thursday after South Africa accused Israel of committing "genocidal acts" in the Gaza Strip.

Read the full story here.

7 IDF soldiers injured in Khan Yunis clashes

Seven soldiers were injured "in various ways" during clashes against Hamas in Khan Yunis, the IDF said in a Google-translated statement early Wednesday.

At one point during the fire encounters, soldiers with the IDF's 101^st Battalion exchanged fire with Hamas militants who barricaded themselves inside a building.

The Israeli army has been deepening its campaign in recent days in Khan Yunis, the known hometown of Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' most senior official in the Gaza Strip.

Jordan's king to host Egyptian, Palestinian leaders for Gaza talks

Jordan's King Abdullah II will host Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas Wednesday to discuss the Gaza war, the royal palace announced.

The discussions are expected to focus on efforts to push for a ceasefire. The three-way summit is also expected to tackle the developments in the West Bank, as per multiple outlets.

The announcement comes amid increasing fears of a potential regional spillover from the raging Israel-Hamas war as other Iran-backed factions and Hamas allies have started attacking Israel on different fronts.

The Israeli prime minister's meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State on Tuesday was "tense," local Channel 12 reported, further noting that Netanyahu's office did not release a readout of the discussion, as it had done in the past.

Washington has been pushing Israel to scale back its military operations in the Gaza Strip amid mounting calls from the international community. Netanyahu has repeatedly reiterated that Israel will continue fighting to the end until it eliminates Hamas.

Hezbollah's southern Lebanon aerial unit chief eliminated: IDF

The Israeli army announced late Tuesday that it eliminated Ali Hussein, the commander of Hezbollah's southern Lebanon aerial unit.

The senior Hezbollah official allegedly commanded "dozens of explosive and surveillance UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) terrorist activities against Israel." He was also accused of leading the attack against the IDF's Northern Command headquarters earlier Tuesday.

Youngest hostage in Gaza to celebrate 1st birthday in captivity

Bibas, who was taken hostage along with his family on Oct. 7, will turn 1 in captivity "in the coming days," Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, revealed at the UN General Assembly Tuesday night.

"I will remind you of your moral obligation to fight for Kfir and his right to celebrate his birthday," Erdan addressed the assembly. In a message to the young boy, Erdan said, "You are the reason Israel is fighting day and night."

Bibas was only 10 months old when he was dragged from his family home in Kibbutz Nir Oz into Gaza during the Hamas massacre. The IDF said late in November that Kfir and his parents, as well as his older brother, 4-year-old Ariel, were handed over by Hamas to another Palestinian faction.

US shoots down 18 drones, 3 missiles launched by Houthis

A total of 18 one-way attack drones launched by Yemen's Houthis in the Red Sea were shot down by U.S. warships Tuesday, the U.S. Central Command said.

The "complex attack of Iranian designed" drones, anti-ship cruise missiles and anti-ship ballistic missiles" was carried out Tuesday morning from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen toward "international shipping lanes where dozens of merchant vessels were transiting," the U.S. military said.

With the assistance of the United Kingdom's HMS Diamond, U.S. battleships USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, USS Gravely, USS Laboon and USS Mason also shot down one anti-ship ballistic missile and two anti-ship cruise missiles.

No injuries or damage were reported in the incident that marked the 26^th attack by the rebel militia in the Red Sea since Nov. 19.

CENTCOM's announcement came hours after the UKMTO said it received multiple reports of drone activity near the Houthi-held port of Hodeidah Tuesday night. The U.S.-led maritime task force was responding at the time of the UKMTO's posting about the incident.