Yemen's Houthis threaten to escalate attacks on ships linked to companies dealing with Israel
The Iran-backed Houthis launched a campaign targeting merchant vessels in response to the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, saying they were doing so in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Their attacks over the past two years have upended shipping in the Red Sea, through which $1 trillion of goods usually passes each year.
In an announcement late Sunday night, the Houthis said they had 'decided to escalate their military support operations and begin implementing the fourth phase of the naval blockade' against Israel.
They warned that they would target 'all ships belonging to any company that deals with the ports of the Israeli enemy, regardless of the nationality of that company, and in any location within the reach of our armed forces.' The vessels would be targeted regardless of their destination, they added.
The group said countries should pressure Israel to stop the war in Gaza and lift its blockade on the Palestinian territory 'if they want to avoid this escalation.'
Earlier this month, the Houthis attacked and sank two Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carriers – the Magic Seas and the Eternity C. The attack on the latter left four crew members dead and 11 more were taken captive, while all 22 crew members of the Magic Seas were rescued before the ship sank.
From November 2023 to December 2024, the Houthis targeted more than 100 ships with missiles and drones. The rebels stopped their attacks during a brief ceasefire in the war and later became the target of an intense, weekslong airstrike campaign ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump.
In May, the U.S. announced a deal with the Houthis to end the airstrikes in return for an end to shipping attacks, although the rebel group said the agreement did not include halting attacks on targets it believed were aligned with Israel.
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Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
How Europe turned on Israel over Palestine
Europe's leaders rallied behind Benjamin Netanyahu after the October 7 terror attacks, backing Israel's right to defend itself from Hamas. 663 days of war later, their goodwill and support are running out fast. Britain is the latest European country to turn on Israel, joining many others in condemning the scenes of starvation from the Gaza Strip and the violence of settlers on the West Bank. Emmanuel Macron last week said France would formally recognise Palestine at a September UN meeting. Now Sir Keir Starmer has said Britain could follow suit. It's a policy shift from both Paris and London designed to rebuke Mr Netanyahu and salvage the idea of a two-state solution. There are other moves afoot in national capitals and at EU level, to force Mr Netanyahu to stop what some leaders call his 'genocide'. Donald Trump refuses to put pressure on Israel, telling reporters on Wednesday: 'You could make the case that you're rewarding Hamas if you do that.' Perhaps for that reason, Israel shows no sign of backing down. Mr Netanyahu promptly accused Sir Keir of 'rewarding terrorism' after already lashing out at Mr Macron. There has been a dramatic rise in anti-Semitism in Europe since October 7, but Israel still has friends in Europe. Europe's hard-Right has rallied to the Israeli Prime Minister, including Hungary's Viktor Orban and Marine Le Pen's National Rally, which was founded by her Holocaust denying father But their support does not carry weight compared to the backing from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has been instrumental in blocking EU-level action against Israel. Germany and France are the EU's two most influential countries, but are on opposite sides of the argument. Mr Macron's decision to join 130 countries in recognising Palestine, and become the first member of the UN Security Council to do so, could shift the dial in Brussels. But German support for Israel, a legacy of its role in the Holocaust, is ironclad because of its 'Staatsräson' principle, which means Israel's right to exist is Berlin's reason of state. Whether that holds amid accusations of genocide will be crucial in determining the strength of EU action against Israel. European Union The European Commission issued its harshest criticism of Israel this week, accusing Benjamin Netanyahu's government of presiding over a 'famine' and 'violating human rights' in Gaza. Plans were drawn up to exclude the Jewish state from the European Union's £80 billion Horizon Europe research programme as a way of punishment. But divides between member states over how to handle Israel meant a vote on the measure was kicked into the long grass. Berlin was blamed as the strongest hold-out by envoys in Brussels. Ahead of EU talks over a crackdown on Israel, the Jewish state's diplomatic mission in Brussels circulated a note defending its actions in Gaza. The memo insisted that Israel had 'begun implementing significant measures to facilitate humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip'. It accused those claiming there was a famine of supporting a 'false campaign promoted by Hamas and its allies'. A push by Ireland and Spain to suspend the EU-Israel association agreement, a bare bones trade deal, as punishment for human rights abuses in Gaza has also stalled amid EU divides. The EU was united in efforts to put Hamas under pressure. The bloc signed a declaration agreed in New York at a United Nations conference, alongside 17 other countries and the 22-member Arab League, which includes pro-Palestinian countries such as Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. It was a historic moment because the Arab and Muslim countries signed a declaration explicitly condemning the October 7 attack, many for the first time. It is arguably a shrewd tactical move designed to counter Israeli claims that by recognising Palestine, the West is rewarding Hamas, which does not believe in a two-state solution or recognise Israel's right to exist. France France's decision to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September after months of hesitation is a far cry from the 'unconditional' support for Israel it declared after October 7. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza – and in particular, the growing threat of famine – appears to have been a turning point for France, which is home to the largest Jewish community in Europe and the third largest in the world. It marks a significant shift for the country, which went as far as calling for an international coalition to eradicate Hamas after the October 2023 Hamas-led attacks in Israel. Last November, France refused to act on the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant against Mr Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, both accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity. In April, Mr Macron told journalists in his presidential plane returning from a visit to Egypt that France would recognise the state of Palestine 'in the coming months'. French conditions for recognition included the demilitarisation of Hamas, the release of Israeli hostages, and the reform of the Palestinian Authority. None of these conditions have been fully met. Hamas still controls Gaza and holds 49 hostages, 27 of whom the Israeli army has declared dead. Experts say Mr Macron continues to call for the 'demilitarisation' of Hamas but is no longer making it a prerequisite for recognition. Some analysts say France also changed its tune to align itself more with the Global South and counter claims of double standards in its hawkish stance on Ukraine and silence over Israel's actions in Gaza. They say the pledge of recognition was a strategic move by Mr Macron, who sensed an opportunity to become a playmaker and shift the current stalemate where neither Israel nor Hamas nor the United States appears to be seeking an end to the conflict. Germany Germany is one of Israel's strongest supporters in Europe. However, this week the German government hinted that it was considering a withdrawal from the association agreement with Israel, in a sign of its concern over famine in the Gaza Strip. Friedrich Merz, the German Chancellor, said on Monday that his country 'reserves the right' to pull out of the agreement, when asked by reporters if he was considering such a move. Berlin has not followed Britain in threatening to recognise a state of Palestine in order to increase pressure on the Israelis. Mr Merz's government considers the move to be premature. Germany will only recognise Palestine as part of a broader, long-term peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians. 'The German government continues to view it as one of the final steps toward realising a two-state solution,' German officials said last week, following a phone call between Mr Merz and Mr Netanyahu. Ireland Ireland formally recognised Palestine in May 2024, which was hugely popular domestically in a country that draws parallels between its own struggle for independence and that of the Palestinians. The coordinated announcement with Norway and Spain drew a furious response from Israel, which recalled the Irish ambassador and accused Ireland of having a 'disproportionate obsession' with Israel. To Dublin's annoyance, the media in Jerusalem were allowed to film ambassador Sonya McGuinness being made to watch videos of female hostages being taken in Hamas's October 7 terror attack. In December, Israel closed its embassy in Dublin after Ireland supported South Africa's legal action against Israel in the International Court of Justice. Ireland has pushed for the suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement. It is also pressing ahead with the Occupied Territories Bill, which will ban trade between Ireland and Israeli settlements on the West Bank. Spain Spain's socialist prime minister Pedro Sanchez has, like his Irish allies, been calling for tougher EU action against Israel and insisting on the need for a two-state solution in the Middle East. Mr Sanchez said this week that the 'famine in Gaza is a shame for all of humanity.' On Monday, Madrid announced it would airdrop 12 tons of food into Gaza in a rare example of a European nation joining Middle Eastern countries in sending aid by air. Last month, Mr Sanchez became the most prominent European leader to describe Israel's war on Gaza as 'genocide'. The Israeli embassy in Spain accused him of 'demonising' Israel and declared Spain was on 'the wrong side of history'. Madrid called the statement 'unacceptable' and summoned the ambassador for a dressing down. Netherlands and Belgium The Dutch government imposed travel bans on Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, two far-Right Israeli cabinet ministers, after accusing them of demanding 'ethnic cleansing' in the Gaza Strip on Monday. It also summoned Israel's ambassador to denounce the 'unbearable and indefensible' situation in Gaza and is also supporting moves to impose trade sanctions on Israel. In November, it apologised after visiting Israeli football fans in Amsterdam were attacked in disorder branded a 'Jew Hunt' but it has hardened its position. The Netherlands has a caretaker government because Geert Wilders, the far-Right populist pulled his party out of the coalition, triggering snap elections in October. The fiercely anti-Islam Mr Wilders is a vocal and unapologetic supporter of Israel. As Prime Minister Dick Schoof announced Dutch support for suspending Israeli involvement in Horizon Europe and other measures, Mr Wilders told him: 'Hamas will be proud of you.' In neighbouring Belgium, King Philippe, took the unusual steps of delivering unusually direct criticism of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, calling it 'a disgrace to humanity', in his National Day speech. Its government supports a two-state solution and has not ruled out taking action against Israel in the shape of sanctions, whether at domestic or EU levels.
Reuters
3 hours ago
- Reuters
Israeli minister hints at annexing parts of Gaza
JERUSALEM/CAIRO, July 30 (Reuters) - Israel could threaten to annex parts of Gaza to increase pressure on the militant group Hamas, an Israeli minister said on Wednesday, an idea that would deal a blow to Palestinian hopes of statehood on land Israeli now occupies. The comment by security cabinet member Zeev Elkin came a day after Britain said it would recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel takes steps to relieve suffering in Gaza and reaches a ceasefire in the war with Hamas. France, which said last week it will recognise a Palestinian state in September, and Saudi Arabia issued a declaration on Tuesday, also backed by Egypt, Qatar and the Arab League, outlining steps toward implementing a two-state solution. As part of an end to the Gaza war, they said Hamas "must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority". Israel has denounced moves to recognise a Palestinian state as rewarding Hamas for its October 2023 attack that precipitated the war. Accusing Hamas of trying to drag out ceasefire talks to gain Israeli concessions, Elkin told public broadcaster Kan that Israel may give the group an ultimatum to reach a deal before further expanding its military actions. "The most painful thing for our enemy is losing lands," he said. "A clarification to Hamas that the moment they play games with us they will lose land that they will never get back would be a significant pressure tool." Mediation efforts aimed at reaching a deal that would secure a 60-day ceasefire and the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas ground to a halt last week, with the sides trading blame for the impasse. Israel is facing mounting international pressure over the situation in Gaza, where a global hunger monitor has warned that a worst-case scenario of famine is unfolding. The Gaza health ministry reported seven more hunger-related deaths on Wednesday, including a two-year-old girl with an existing health condition. Families of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza appealed for no recognition of a Palestinian state to come before their loved ones are returned. "Such recognition is not a step toward peace, but rather a clear violation of international law and a dangerous moral and political failure that legitimises horrific war crimes," the Hostages Family Forum said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said Britain's decision "rewards Hamas' monstrous terrorism". Israel made similar comments last week after France's announcement. Two Hamas officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the demand for the group to hand its weapons to the PA, which now has limited control of parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Hamas has previously rejected calls to disarm, while Israel has ruled out letting the PA run Gaza. Netanyahu said this month he wanted peace with Palestinians but described any future independent state as a potential platform to destroy Israel, so control of security must remain with Israel. His cabinet includes far-right figures who openly demand the annexation of all Palestinian land. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Tuesday that reestablishing Jewish settlements in Gaza was "closer than ever", calling Gaza "an inseparable part of the Land of Israel". A two-year-old girl being treated for a build-up of brain fluid died overnight of hunger, her father told Reuters on Wednesday. "Mekkah, my little daughter, died of malnutrition and the lack of medication," Salah al-Gharably said by phone from Deir Al-Balah. "Doctors said the baby has to be fed a certain type of there is no milk," he said. "She starved. We stood helpless." The deaths from starvation and malnutrition overnight raised the toll from such causes to 154, including at least 89 children, since the war's start, most in recent weeks. On Sunday the Israeli military announced steps to ease the supply of food into Gaza, including daily pauses in military operations in some areas and corridors for aid. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the United Nations and its partners had been able to bring more food into Gaza in the first two days of pauses, but the volume was "still far from enough". "Most aid is still being offloaded by crowds before reaching where it is supposed to go. But market monitoring shows prices for basic goods are starting to drop – which could point to better operating conditions if aid flows further increase," it said in an update. The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked communities in southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking another 251 hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed more than 60,000 people and laid waste to much of the territory, the Gaza health ministry says.
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
Gaza hunger palava: Wetin starvation dey do to di body
Di United Nations food aid programme don warn say almost one out of evri three pipo for di Gaza Strip dey go for days witout anytin to chop. US President Donald Trump don tok say "real starvation" dey for Gaza, afta Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insist say notin like dat dey. Over di last couple of days, Israel wey dey deny say starvation dey for Gaza, don announce "local tactical pause" to allow aid into di region. But di UN humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, say plenty amount of food dey needed to avoid starvation. One out of five children for Gaza City dey malnourished and cases dey increase evri day, according to di UN Palestinian refugee agency (Unrwa). Di UN don report say hospitals don admit pipo wey get severe exhaustion sake of lack of food, and say odas dey collapse for street. Even though di UN neva declare famine for di territory yet, di IPC warn say risk of famine dey veri high. Wetin be famine and wen dem fit declare am? Di Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) na di global standard to describe how difficult e dey for a population to access enough affordable, nutritious food. Di highest phase - Phase 5 Famine - refer to situation wey meet di following criteria: Di IPC report for Gaza wey dem bin publish on 12 May show say di entire population dey live for Crisis (Phase 3) and above. According to di report, nearly 469,500 pipo go likely experience catastrophic food insecurity (IPC Phase 5) between May and September 2025. If dis circumstances occur, di UN fit join bodi wit di goment of di kontri or wit oda international aid and humanitarian organisations to declare famine. Wetin dey happen to pesin body during starvation? Wetin dey cause starvation na wen pesin don stay long witout food and e mean say di body no dey receive enof calories to take carry out basic functions. Usually, di body dey breaks food down into glucose. But wen food no dey, di body go start to break down glycogen for di liver and muscles to release glucose into di bloodstream. Wen dose resources don finish, di body go turn to fat wey e bin don store, and eventually muscle mass, to produce enof energy. Starvation fit cause di lungs, stomach and reproductive organs to shrink and e fit affect di brain, leading to hallucinations, depression, and anxiety. Pipo fit die sake of starvation, but pipo wey get acute malnourishment dey often kpai sake of complications like infections for di respiratory or digestive systems, becos of di damage for dia immune system. Starvation dey also affect pipo differently. "You no go just suddenly dey severely malnourished, dis children fit don get measles, pneumonia, diarrhoea or similar previously," according to Professor Charlotte Wright, senior research fellow (honorary), human nutrition for di University of Glasgow for di United Kingdom. "Children wey bin previously dey healthy but now don dey starve, go still get di energy to eat and digest food if e dey available. Odas go just dey waste away." How malnutrition dey affect babies and children? Lack of food during childhood fit get lifelong impacts, including impaired cognitive development and stunting. Di WHO define stunting as di impaired growth and development wey children dey experience from poor nutrition, repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation. Often, dis children dey shorter for dia age dan expected. Pipo wey get malnutrition dey more likely to give birth to malnourished children, according to di United Nations Foundation. Unicef say poor diet during pregnancy fit cause anaemia, pre-eclampsia, haemorrhage and death for mothers, as well as stillbirth, low birthweight, wasting and developmental delays for children. Malnourished mothers fit also struggle to produce enough nutritious milk to feed dia babies. Dr Nuradeen Alibaba from Médecins Sans Frontières, wey specialise in treating children wit malnutrition, say di impact fit dey life-long. "Stunted growth no dey reversible, meaning say dem go get short stature even afta dat period of being malnourished, and dis go put dem for big disadvantage. Dem dey often get permanent learning disability also wey fit no dey obvious until dem start school. "[Malnutrition] dey also suppress di immune system wey go leave dem veri prone to infections. "One important tin wey pipo no fully understand be say for girls, e get level of malnutrition wey fit cause infertility. And if dem even get bele, dis women dey much more likely to born babies wit low-birth-weight." Osteoporosis fit be anoda complication. "Brittle bones for later life fit make dem more fragile so dem no go fit carry dia body weight well - so even a small tin fit lead to a break or fracture," Dr Alibaba tok. How dem dey treat malnutrition? "To respond to dis crisis, you basically need two approaches - both more food going into Gaza and for di more expensive therapeutic foods to be supplied too," Professor Wright tok. "E dey urgent for di food to dey re-directed towards di children and dia mothers." "Breastfeeding na di safest and most hygienic option for infants, but you gatz feed di mother so she go fit feed di baby. And dat na di real challenge - to make sure say di food go actually reach dem rather dan di men. "Di key message be say di children and di mothers gatz be di priority, and dem no need much." BBC Arabic health reporter Smitha Mundasad, who also be trained doctor, explain say malnutrition fit get devastating effects particularly for children - and treatment no always dey straightforward. For severe cases, wia pesin no fit swallow again, dem go need specially formulated nutrition for hospital or clinic "and oda treatment for infections or oda potential complications," she tok. "For some cases, feeding someone too quickly or wit di wrong food fit dey dangerous. "Di answer den, no be just getting food – na to get di right food - and to get a functioning healthcare system wey go support dis."
