US intercept Houthi anti-ship missiles, vessel hit in Red Sea

An aircraft takes off to join the U.S.-led coalition to conduct air strikes against military targets in Yemen, aimed at the Iran-backed Houthi militia that has been targeting international shipping in the Red Sea, from an undisclosed location, in this handout picture released on January 12, 2024. (REUTERS)
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Updated 17 January 2024
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US intercept Houthi anti-ship missiles, vessel hit in Red Sea

  • France chose not take part in the US-led strikes because it wants to avoid a regional escalation, President Emmanuel Macron told a news conference
  • Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister underlined the link between Houthi attacks on commercial ships to the war in Gaza

WASHINGTON/DAVOS: The US military carried out new strikes in Yemen on Tuesday against anti-ship ballistic missiles in a Houthi-controlled part of the country as a missile struck a Greek-owned vessel in the Red Sea.
Disruptions to Red Sea shipping caused by Houthi attacks will push up prices of consumer goods in Europe in particular, an executive from port and freight operator DP World said as the impact on commerce increased.
The Iran-allied Houthi militia has threatened to expand its attacks to include US ships in response to American and British strikes on its sites in Yemen.
Attacks by the Houthis on ships in the region since November have affected companies and alarmed major powers — an escalation of Israel’s more than three-month-old war with Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza. The Houthis say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians.
The White House said additional US strikes on Tuesday took out ballistic missiles Houthis were ready to launch, confirming a Reuters story earlier, citing US officials, that a new strike was launched at four anti-ship missiles. The strike had not been previously reported.
“We’re not looking to expand this. The Houthis have a choice to make and they still have time to make the right choice, which is to stop these reckless attacks,” White House spokesperson John Kirby said.
France chose not take part in the US-led strikes because it wants to avoid a regional escalation, President Emmanuel Macron told a news conference. The country has a “defensive” approach in the Red Sea and would stick to this stance, Macron said.
Two heads of international banking groups attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos said privately that they were worried the crisis might cause inflationary pressures that could ultimately delay or reverse interest rate cuts and jeopardize hopes for a US economic soft landing.
DP World CFO Yuvraj Narayan said he expected disruptions to hit European imports.
“The cost of goods into Europe from Asia will be significantly higher,” Narayan told Reuters at the annual WEF meeting in Davos, the Swiss ski resort.
“European consumers will feel the pain ... It will hit developed economies more than it will hit developing economies,” the Dubai-based logistics company’s finance chief added.
War risk insurance premiums for shipments through the Red Sea are rising, insurance sources said on Tuesday.
In Spain, four factories owned by French tire maker Michelin are planning to halt output again this weekend, a further sign of the impact of delays in the delivery of raw materials.

SHIP HIT
A Malta-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier was struck by a missile while northbound in the Red Sea 76 nautical miles northwest of the Yemeni port of Saleef, a security firm and two Greek shipping ministry sources said.
Yemen’s Houthis carried out the attack on the ship, the Zografia, using naval missiles, resulting in a “direct hit,” the group’s military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said.
The Zografia was sailing from Vietnam to Israel with 24 crew on board and was empty of cargo when attacked, one of the Greek sources said. “There were no injuries, only material damage,” the source added. It was still sailing but would probably reroute for safety checks.
Underlining concerns, Japanese shipping operator Nippon Yusen, also known as NYK Line, instructed its vessels navigating near the Red Sea to wait in safe waters and is considering route changes, a company spokesperson said.
Shipping giant Maersk, however, sent two container ships through the Red Sea carrying goods for the US military and government.

GAZA CEASEFIRE CALL
Container vessels have been pausing or diverting from the Red Sea that leads to the Suez Canal, the fastest freight route from Asia to Europe. Many ships have been forced to circumnavigate South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope instead.
About 12 percent of world shipping traffic accesses the Suez Canal via the Red Sea.
Egypt’s Suez Canal authority played down any disruption, saying in a statement that the suspension of transit through the canal by companies was “temporary” and that traffic through the canal was “going as per normal.”
British oil major Shell has suspended all shipments through the Red Sea indefinitely after the US and UK strikes triggered fears of further escalation, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. Shell declined to comment.
US oil major Chevron said it is maintaining its shipping routes through the Red Sea. Exxon Mobil, which does not own or operate shipping vessels, said it “continues to support ship owners and operators in following guidance from the Combined Maritime Forces” — a reference to a multi-national naval partnership aimed at keeping the seas safe.
Russian tanker group Sovcomflot is also considering alternative routes in case the crisis escalates, TASS news agency reported. Sovcomflot did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
European diplomats said member states of the European Union had given initial backing to creation of a naval mission by Feb. 19 at the latest to help protect ships.
The existing US-led coalition meant to safeguard commercial traffic in the Red Sea is weak because regional powerhouses Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt have not taken part, Yemen’s vice president said on Tuesday.
“This Bab Al-Mandab corridor is of interest to the whole world and to the region, so regional intervention is key,” Aidarous Al-Zubaidi told Reuters in an interview, referring to the narrow strait at the southern entrance to the Red Sea.
Zubaidi’s separatist Southern Transitional Council is part of an alliance that opposes the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke with Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on Monday, Guterres’ spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday.
“Regarding the situation in the Red Sea, the secretary-general reiterated his call to all the parties to avoid any further escalation,” Dujarric said.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister underlined the link between Houthi attacks on commercial ships to the war in Gaza. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said the kingdom’s priority is finding a path to de-escalation through a ceasefire in Gaza.

 


Father of American hostage in Gaza hopeful he is still alive

Updated 20 April 2025
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Father of American hostage in Gaza hopeful he is still alive

  • The armed wing of Hamas said on Saturday it did not know the fate of Alexander, after noting that the guard holding him was killed

WASHINGTON: The father of a US-Israeli hostage held in Gaza said on Saturday he remains hopeful his 21-year-old son was still alive after Hamas said it could not account for his status.
Adi Alexander, whose son Edan was serving in the Israeli army when he was captured on October 7, 2023, called on the United States to engage in direct talks to free the remaining hostages – dead and alive – abducted during the deadly attack launched by Hamas two years ago in southern Israel. “I think we should engage back with them directly and see what can be done in regards to my son, four American dead hostages and everybody else,” the father said in an interview on Saturday.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Father urges US to engage in direct talks for hostages

• Hamas claims uncertainty over Edan Alexander’s fate

• US State Department demands immediate release of hostages

“It seems like the negotiations are stalled, everything is stuck and we are kind of back to a year ago,” he added. “It’s really concerning.” Hamas had previously agreed to release Edan Alexander, believed to be the last surviving American hostage held by the militant Palestinian group, as well as the bodies of four other Americans it captured on October 7, 2023. The armed wing of Hamas said on Saturday it did not know the fate of Alexander, after noting that the guard holding him was killed. Reuters could not verify Hamas’ claim.
Hamas abducted Edan Alexander when he was 19 during its attack that killed nearly 1,200 people and triggered Israel’s ongoing incursion in Gaza, the Palestinian enclave controlled by Hamas.
Edan, who holds dual nationality, grew up in New Jersey. His father said his son was an “all-American kid, great athlete ..., such a loving, loving boy” who found himself in “the wrong place, wrong time.”
Hamas recently released an undated video, purportedly of Edan. His father Adi said, “He looked very scary to us — just a horrible, horrible video.”
A hostage video is, by definition, made under duress and the statements in it are usually coerced, according to international law groups and human rights experts.
He said if he could speak to his son now, he would tell him, “Just believe. You know, nobody forgot about you. Definitely not your parents, and everybody is fighting for your release on the highest level in the States and I believe also in Israel.”
Fifty-nine hostages remain in Gaza. Fewer than half of them are believed to be still alive.
A US State Department spokesperson had no comment on the status of Alexander but reiterated that Hamas must immediately release him and all remaining hostages, and that Hamas “bears sole responsibility for the war, and for the resumption of hostilities.”

 


Israeli PM says to return hostages without giving in to ‘Hamas dictates’

Updated 19 April 2025
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Israeli PM says to return hostages without giving in to ‘Hamas dictates’

  • “I believe we can bring our hostages home without surrendering to Hamas’s dictates,” Netanyahu said
  • “We are at a critical stage of the campaign, and at this point, we need patience”

JERUSALEM: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Saturday to bring home the remaining hostages in Gaza without yielding to Hamas’ demands, insisting the military campaign in the Palestinian territory had reached a “critical stage.”
“I believe we can bring our hostages home without surrendering to Hamas’s dictates,” Netanyahu said, in his first comments since Hamas, seeking a permanent end to the Gaza war, rejected a new truce proposal from Israel.
“We are at a critical stage of the campaign, and at this point, we need patience and determination to win.”
The remarks drew a swift rebuttal from an Israeli campaign group representing the hostages’ families, which accused Netanyahu of having “no plan” for securing the captives’ freedom.
“There is one clear, feasible, and urgent solution that can be achieved now: reach a deal that will bring everyone home — even if it means stopping the fighting,” Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement.
Netanyahu, however, insisted that ending the war now would embolden the country’s enemies.
“Ending the war under these surrender conditions would send a message to all of Israel’s enemies: that abducting Israelis can bring Israel to its knees. It would prove that terrorism pays — and that message would endanger the entire free world,” he said.
Hamas, Netanyahu said, was “demanding the end of the war and the continuation of its rule,” as well as a full Israeli withdrawal, “which would enable Hamas to rearm and plan more attacks against us.”
“If we commit to ending the war, we will not be able to resume fighting in Gaza,” he said.
“So I ask you — did our soldiers fight in vain? Did our heroes fall and suffer for nothing?“


Jordan participates in Palestine reconstruction forum in Istanbul

Updated 19 April 2025
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Jordan participates in Palestine reconstruction forum in Istanbul

  • A full inventory of tools and equipment earmarked for debris removal and rebuilding has already been submitted

AMMAN: Jordan has joined regional and international efforts to support the reconstruction of Palestine, taking part in the Arab International Commission for the Reconstruction of Palestine Forum, which opened Friday in Istanbul under the theme “From the Rubble We Build Hope.”

The Jordanian Contractors Association participated in the forum’s activities under the auspices of the Higher Committee for Reconstruction in Palestine, represented by its President Fouad Duwairi and Vice President Marouf Ghananim, the Jordan News Agency reported.

In his address, Duwairi outlined the association’s efforts to assist reconstruction efforts in Palestine and Gaza, highlighting the donations made by Jordanian contractors in recent months.

He also shared technical studies conducted by the association, aimed at supporting rebuilding initiatives.

Duwairi reaffirmed the JCA’s commitment to aiding the Palestinian people, noting that Jordanian contractors have donated machinery and construction equipment for reconstruction efforts.

A full inventory of tools and equipment earmarked for debris removal and rebuilding has already been submitted.

He explained that clearing the debris and recycling materials in Gaza is expected to take approximately a year once the enclave is divided into operational zones, stressing that Jordanian contractors were fully prepared to engage in the reconstruction process.

The JCA, Duwairi added, has participated in several international conferences to explore innovative methods for recycling construction materials for use in Gaza’s rebuilding.

Coordination continues with Jordanian contractors to secure the necessary machinery and construction supplies in collaboration with the Higher Committee for Reconstruction.

In recognition of their contributions, the Arab International Authority for the Reconstruction of Palestine honored Duwairi and the JCA for their significant role in supporting reconstruction initiatives.


Gaza aid delivery focus of talks in Turkiye

Updated 8 min 13 sec ago
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Gaza aid delivery focus of talks in Turkiye

  • Kalin reassured them of Turkiye’s ongoing support and said Ankara would firmly oppose any new efforts to occupy or annex further Palestinian territory

ISTANBUL: Turkiye’s intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin met with Hamas leaders on Saturday for talks about how to deliver aid to war-ravaged Gaza where Israel resumed its military offensive last month.
Kalin held talks with Mohammed Darwish, head of the political council of Hamas, which rules Gaza, and his delegation, Turkiye’s Anadolu state news agency reported, without saying where the meeting took place. Media reports said it was in Turkiye.
As well as discussing ways to deliver humanitarian aid, they also spoke of initiatives to secure a permanent ceasefire along with ways to counter Israeli plans to displace Gaza’s population forcibly, Anadolu said, citing security sources.
Kalin reassured them of Turkiye’s ongoing support and said Ankara would firmly oppose any new efforts to occupy or annex further Palestinian territory.
After 18 months of devastating war and an Israeli aid blockade since March 2, the UN has said Gaza is facing its most severe humanitarian crisis since the war began in October 2023, triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel.
Hamas on Thursday accused Israel of using “starvation as a weapon” by blocking aid supplies.
But Israel has vowed to keep blocking humanitarian aid, saying it is the only way to force Hamas to release the 58 hostages still held there.

 


Lebanese leaders criticize Hezbollah’s refusal to disarm

Updated 19 April 2025
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Lebanese leaders criticize Hezbollah’s refusal to disarm

  • ‘Those who use threats must first stop the tragedies,’ says Lebanese Forces leader

BEIRUT: The Lebanese army on Saturday continued to detonate munitions left over from the Israeli war in southern Lebanon, as well as confiscating ordnance in the area south of the Litani River.

Explosions were heard across southern Lebanon, accompanied by reconnaissance flights from Lebanese army Cessna aircraft south of the Litani River.

During the most recent cabinet session, Army Commander Gen. Rudolph Haykal confirmed that it was no longer possible to cross the Litani River from north to south without passing through Lebanese Army checkpoints. The commander also reviewed the seizure and confiscation of equipment, weapons, and ammunition, presenting statistics from more than 5,000 missions.

In a statement earlier this week, President Joseph Aoun announced that weapons would be brought under state control this year. However, campaigns by Hezbollah officials threaten to disrupt the path outlined by President Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to achieve this end. On Saturday, several Lebanese politicians came out against Hezbollah’s attempt to retain its weapons.

The Hezbollah leaders have not learned from the lessons of the catastrophe caused by their party.

Ashraf Rifi, MP and former justice minister

“The remaining Hezbollah leaders have not learned from the lessons of the catastrophe caused by their party,” said MP and former Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi, claiming that Hezbollah was being “reckless” and holding on to weapons “in support of Tehran, which is negotiating with the US at the expense of the Lebanese.”

He added: “These people appear to have lost essential wisdom and reasoning skills. Sooner or later, the weapons will be surrendered and dismantled; history does not move backward.”

Rifi’s comments followed a series of statements from Hezbollah in recent days, in which the group rejected the notion of surrendering its weapons to the state. They issued a threat to “cut off the hand” of anyone who tried to disarm them.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said on Friday: “Remove this issue from your vocabulary, as no one will disarm us.”

He added that an Israeli withdrawal and reconstruction efforts must come before any discussions of a defense strategy.

Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Mojtaba Amani endorsed Hezbollah’s stance, stating on Saturday that “the disarmament project is a clear plot against countries,” and warning against “falling into Israel’s trap.”

The Iranian diplomat posted on X: “While the US supplies the Israeli regime with the latest weapons and missiles, it simultaneously prevents other countries from strengthening and arming their militaries. Using various pretexts, it pressures them to reduce or destroy their arsenals.”

He added that when countries agree to disarmament demands, they become vulnerable to attacks and occupations, citing Iraq, Libya, and Syria as examples.

Amani stressed that Iran was aware of the dangers posed by “this conspiracy and its threat to regional nations’ security.”

He said: “We warn others not to fall into Israel’s trap, as maintaining deterrence is the first line of defense for sovereignty and independence, and it should not be put at risk.”

Hezbollah’s position has drawn widespread criticism, however. MP Paula Yacoubian characterized it as a strategy to enhance Iran’s negotiation position with the US, and said Lebanon was being used as a bargaining chip.

“Iran, which has poured billions into Hezbollah, now seeks greater returns,” she said. “To preserve the regime, it is time to make concessions, and the party must stop repeating outdated rhetoric while reclaiming its Lebanese identity.”

Former President Michel Suleiman said in a statement: "No to threats of cutting off hands. No to hints of civil war. No to discussions about the army's weaknesses. No to claims regarding the strength of the resistance. No to the idea of keeping weapons in the south, the mountains, the Bekaa, the north, or Beirut in the hands of anyone other than the state.

"Why is this important? Because if the state does not control weapons, then the state and its institutions will not survive.

"Consequently, the economy will not prosper, and we will not restore our friendship with our sister state or the international community."

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stated that “resorting to threats, especially regarding severing hands, has no place in a democratic state or a country seeking civil peace.”

He urged those using such rhetoric to stop, as their actions have already caused “significant harm and damage to Lebanon and its people,” adding that they should step aside and “allow the new leadership to guide the country out of the tragedy” they have created.

Geagea also urged Hezbollah to focus on “rebuilding an effective state capable of restoring dignity, pride, and a decent life for the Lebanese people, and take the initiative to facilitate reconstruction efforts.”

A political source told Arab News that Hezbollah’s rejection of disarmament, most recently expressed by Naim Qassem, aimed to preserve internal balance and boost morale within the party.

“Meanwhile, the Iranian position indicates that Iran is trying to control Hezbollah. There may also be another explanation: they may be seeking to gain time,” said the source.