Page 21 - Middle East

Suspected Yemen Houthi rebel drone strikes ship as Red Sea tensions rise

A ship travelling through the southern Red Sea was attacked by a suspected Yemen Houthi rebel drone early Tuesday, authorities said, the latest assault in their campaign targeting vessels over Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The attack happened west of Hodeida, Yemen, and the projectile caused slight damage to the vessel's windows on the bridge, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said. A small vessel had been nearby the ship before the attack, it added. The private security firm Ambrey identified the vessel as a Barbados-flagged, United Kingdom-owned cargo ship. No one was hurt onboard the vessel, which suffered minor damage, the firm said. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. However, suspicions immediately fell on the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea over Israel's offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with

Yemen appoints Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak as country's new Prime Minister

In a surprise move, Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, Yemen's foreign minister, has been appointed as the country's new Prime Minister, according to Al Jazeera

6 Kurdish fighters killed in drone attack on Syrian base housing US troops

The umbrella group has launched dozens of drone attacks on U.S. military bases and troops in Iraq and Syria, and has called for the withdrawal of American soldiers from both countries

Blinken heads to Middle East to hold negotiations on hostages, Gaza aid

Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Israel, and the West Bank from February 4-8. It is his fifth trip to the region since the Hamas' attacks on Israel on October 7

US warns of further retaliation if Iran-backed militias continue attacks

After a weekend of retaliatory strikes, the United States on Sunday warned Iran and the militias it arms and funds that it will conduct more attacks if American forces in the Mideast continue to be targeted, but that it does not want an open-ended military campaign across the region. We are prepared to deal with anything that any group or any country tries to come at us with, said Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden's national security adviser. Sullivan said Iran should expect a swift and forceful response if it and not one of its proxies chose to respond directly against the US. Sullivan delivered the warnings during a series of interviews with TV news shows after the US and Britain on Saturday struck 36 Houthi targets in Yemen. The Iran-backed militants have fired on American and international interests repeatedly in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. An air assault Friday in Iraq and Syria targeted other Iranian-backed militias and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in retaliation f

Highlights of the day: Ladakh shuts down as thousands march for statehood

Updates: Catch all the latest updates from around the world

Netanyahu slams President Biden's condemnation of Israeli settlers

Biden also said that they undermine the security of Israel and have the potential to "lead to broader regional destabilisation across the Middle East, threatening United States personnel and interests

US retaliates for fatal drone attack, hits Iranian militias in Iraq, Syria

"Our response began today," Biden said in a statement. "It will continue at times and places of our choosing."

US may intensify attacks on Iranian-backed Houthis after Jordan attack

Following the drone attack on a base in Jordan, the US forces are now preparing to hit Iran-backed proxies across the Middle East with increased intensity, as reported by Voice of America (VOA)

Prez Biden issues order targeting violent Israeli settlers in West Bank

President Joe Biden has signed an executive order addressing the issue of violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank, a move aimed at restoring stability in the region, CNN reported

India-Middle East-Europe corridor game changer for us, says FM Sitharaman

The Union Minister also underscored the success of India's G20 presidency and said that during the tough times engulfed by the COVID-19 pandemic, India navigated its way and addressed global problems

16K sheep, cattle stuck on board export ship after Red Sea turn-back

The animals have been on the vessel since January 5 Government and industry officials say they are in good health but animal welfare advocates have branded their plight torture

Iran-backed Houthis fire anti-ship ballistic missile towards Gulf of Aden

Iranian-backed Houthis on Wednesday fired an anti-ship ballistic missile towards the Gulf of Aden. The missile was successfully shot down by US Navy missile destroyer USS Carney

US strikes around 10 unmanned drones in Yemen on verge of launch: Official

The Houthis, earlier on Wednesday, said their naval forces carried out an operation targeting an "American merchant ship" in the Gulf of Aden hours after firing missiles at US Navy destroyer Gravely

Houthis fire anti-ship missile towards Red Sea, shot down by US destroyer

Iranian-backed Houthis have fired one anti-ship cruise missile towards the Red Sea, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said

EAM speaks to Israeli counterpart Katz, discusses regional security issues

Israel on Monday expressed its gratitude towards India for its friendship and support and discussed regional security threats, including the security of shipping and regional projects which connect India with the Middle East. Had a good conversation today with Indian foreign minister @DrSJaishankar in which I expressed my gratitude for his friendship and support of Israel, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter. We discussed regional security threats including security of shipping and regional projects which connect India with the Middle East," Katz said in the post. Freedom of navigation in international waters has been a major concern in the region with Iran-backed Houthis disrupting shipping lines, causing major economic concerns raising prices of essential items and also threatening regional peace. The continued attacks will also adversely impact the plans for an India- Middle East- Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) projec

No links with drone strike in Jordan that killed US soldiers: Iran

The attack is a major escalation of the already tense situation in the Middle East, where war broke out in Gaza after an attack by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Israel on Oct

Proxies can even consume empires that support them. Iran should remember

While it may be tempting to allow militants to operate as long as they are focused on your strategic rival next door, there is no such thing as 'our' terrorists

Iran launches 3 satellites into space as tensions grip wider Mideast

Iran said Sunday it successfully launched three satellites into space, the latest for a programme that the West says improves Tehran's ballistic missiles. The state-run IRNA news agency said the launch also saw the successful use of Iran's Simorgh rocket, which has had multiple failures in the past. The launch comes as heightened tensions grip the wider Middle East over Israel's continued war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. While Iran has not intervened militarily in the conflict, it has faced increased pressure within its theocracy for action after a deadly Islamic State suicide bombing earlier this month and as proxy groups like Yemen's Houthi rebels conduct attacks linked to the war. Footage released by Iranian state television showed a nighttime launch for the Simorgh rocket. An Associated Press analysis of the footage's details showed that it took place at the Imam Khomeini Spaceport in Iran's rural Semnan province. State TV named the launched satellites Mahda, Kayhan-2 and Hatef

US aims to use Israel-Hamas deal to open more lasting regional peace talks

The senior State Department official, who asked not to be identified discussing private conversations, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken had spoken recently to McGurk and Burns about the talks