Houthi movement

U.S.-led coalition forces shot down four drones and an anti-ship missile launched by Yemen's Huthi rebels, American authorities said yesterday, as the Iran-backed group announced strikes against U.S. and Israeli ships.

Barbara Leaf, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs, criticized the Yemeni Houthis for their inhumane actions in capturing merchant ships, including the "Galaxy Leader", which holds two Bulgarian sailors. Leaf emphasized that such attacks on vessels unrelated to the Gaza conflict display recklessness and cruelty.

A warship — part of a US-led coalition protecting shipping in the Mideast — intercepted an anti-ship ballistic missile fired over the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday, the American military said, marking a new attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels after a recent lull.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, centre, is surrounded by Britain's Foreign Secretary David Cameron, left, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa , high, Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Joly and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani as they attend an Indo-Pacific meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers meeting on Capri Island, Italy, Friday, April 19, 2024.

Israel launched more deadly strikes on besieged Gaza on Thursday as world powers watched nervously whether the country would retaliate against a weekend attack by its arch enemy Iran.

The Israeli army said it had bombed dozens of targets in the Palestinian coastal territory of 2.4 million people, more than six months into the bloodiest ever Gaza war.

The operations of the European Union's naval mission to the Red Sea have not been affected by Iran's first-ever direct attack on Israel but the force needs more combat ships to protect merchant vessels sailing through "a vast area," its commander told Reuters on Tuesday.

The United States military has undertaken a significant interception operation, intercepting and destroying over 80 attack drones and at least six ballistic missiles aimed at Israel from Iran and Yemen, as confirmed by the Pentagon on Monday.

The Central Board of Jewish Communities (KIS) and Greek Jewry have issued a statement condemning Iran's airborne attacks against Israel on Saturday and expressing solidarity with the people of Israel.

KIS emphasizes Iran's role as an "instigator of global terrorism," citing attacks by Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.

Israel struck war-battered Gaza overnight, Hamas and witnesses said Monday, as world leaders urged de-escalation awaiting Israel's reaction to Iran's unprecedented attack that heightened fears of wider conflict.

President Joe Biden on Saturday lauded American forces who helped Israel down "nearly all" of the drones and missiles fired by Iran and vowed to coordinate a global response to Tehran's unprecedented attack. And the Pentagon said its forces intercepted "dozens of missiles" and drones launched from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen that were headed toward Israel.