KEY POINTS
- Jordan's king to host Egyptian, Palestinian leaders for Gaza war meeting
- Intense combat between Israeli troops, Hamas in Khan Yunis
- UK's Jeremy Corbyn to join South Africa's ICJ delegation
The Gaza war is on its 96th day, and U.S. Navy warships, along with a British battleship, deterred drones launched by Yemeni Houthi rebel militia in the Red Sea in what is said to be one of the largest drone attacks by the Houthis since the war started.
The youngest hostage in Hamas captivity, Kfir Bibas, will celebrate his first birthday in Gaza in the coming days.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it killed Ali Hussein Barji, Hezbollah's drone unit commander, in an airstrike Tuesday. Fire exchanges between the Israeli army and the Iran-backed terror group have intensified in recent days following the assassination of Hamas' deputy leader, Saleh al-Arouri, in Lebanese territory.
- Hamas not a UN-recognized body so its X account was suspended: Elon Musk
- Telegram group of 3,000 UNRWA teachers had discussions glorifying Oct. 7 massacre: UN Watch
- There are 'estimates' Hamas may transfer hostages to Egypt: Lebanese media
- IDF making 'vast efforts' to minimize civilian harm in Gaza: Spokesperson
- Yemeni Houthi rebels to make 'important' announcement Wednesday: Spokesperson
- Israeli fighter jet attacks Hezbollah base in southern Lebanon
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received an incident report in the Red Sea near Yemen amid continuing Houthi attacks targeting merchant shipping operations in the area.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "tense," as per a local report. The Israeli government is under increasing pressure from Washington to scale back its military campaign in the Gaza Strip amid a mounting death toll among civilians.
Israel's unwavering stance over its goal of eliminating Hamas draws from the decades-long history of the Israel-Palestine conflict that erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas operatives invaded Israel in a surprise attack where the Palestinian militant group killed more than 1,200 people and dragged over 200 hostages into Gaza.
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.
לפני זמן קצר מטוס קרב של חיל האוויר תקף במרחב לבונה תשתיות טרור ומבנה צבאי. בנוסף, בשעות הלילה מטוס קרב של חיל האוויר תקף מפקדה צבאית במרחב כפר שובא>> pic.twitter.com/luUiA5knI4
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) January 10, 2024
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.
נמשכת פעילות צה"ל במרחב אל מע'אזי וחאן יונס; מעל 150 מטרות הותקפו, בפשיטות הכוחות הלוחמים חוסלו מחבלים ואותרו אמצעי לחימה.
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) January 10, 2024
הכוחות המתמרנים ממשיכים לפעול בשטח רצועת עזה בסיוע ותיאום עם חיל האוויר ולוחמי זרוע הים.
במהלך היממה האחרונה הותקפו מעל 150 מטרות טרור בשטח הרצועה>> pic.twitter.com/5VJ0JxBJgA
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.
Our war is against Hamas, not against the people of Gaza
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 9, 2024
IDF Spokesperson explains the steps that we’re taking to help international organizations distribute humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/0T71gRkUQi
"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 7th minutes after it began."
BREAKING: A Telegram group of 3,000 UNRWA teachers in Gaza celebrates the Hamas massacre of October 7th, praises the murderers and rapists as “heroes,” and gleefully shares photos of dead or captured Israelis and urges the execution of hostages. https://t.co/ZQJNX701Fr
— UN Watch (@UNWatch) January 10, 2024
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.
Meet UNRWA teacher Waseem Ula. He runs a chat for 3,000 UNRWA teachers: https://t.co/0ECeat8qr2 His username: “Handsome” (أ. وسيم).
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) January 10, 2024
Ula posts info on salaries from UNRWA Gaza education chief Sami Abu Kamil.
He also calls to kill Israelis, and glorifies the Oct. 7th massacre. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/zK8vahbmW3
8/ Now meet UNRWA teacher Shatha Husam Al Nawajha. (UNRWA Contract #30030836)
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) January 10, 2024
She often shares info on when and how to get paid UNRWA salaries.
On October 7th, when her colleague exulted, “They breastfed Jihad with their mothers' milk,” she adds "May Allah grant them victory.” pic.twitter.com/h0fuhppsqj
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 101st Battalion exchanged fire with Hamas militants who barricaded themselves inside a building.
תיעוד מיוחד: לוחמי גדוד 101 של חטיבת הצנחנים חיסלו מחבלים בהיתקלות בחאן יונס
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) January 9, 2024
לכל הפרטים: https://t.co/uKB8VQ50Xh pic.twitter.com/rXPV239TXE
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.
ELIMINATED: Commander of the Southern Lebanon Region of Hezbollah’s Aerial Unit, Ali Hussein, has been eliminated by an IAF aircraft.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 9, 2024
Ali led dozens of explosive and surveillance UAV terrorist activities against Israel, as well as the attack against the headquarters of the IDF…
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.
In honor of Kfir Bibas' 1st birthday, which will fall in the coming days, I presented a birthday cake with his picture to the General Assembly to remind the ambassadors of their duty to fight to bring him and all the hostages home. Kfir is the youngest Israeli hostage held by… pic.twitter.com/1TPgXPSSds
— Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) January 9, 2024
"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 26th attack by the rebel militia in the Red Sea since Nov. 19.
Houthi Attack on International Shipping
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 10, 2024
On Jan. 9, at approximately 9:15 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthis launched a complex attack of Iranian designed one-way attack UAVs (OWA UAVs), anti-ship cruise missiles, and an anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled… pic.twitter.com/KWPRidwiWI
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.
UKIMTO WARNING 005/JAN/2024 UPDATE 001
— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) January 9, 2024
IRREGULAR ACTIVITYhttps://t.co/zHGNgQp1UB#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/Eucskf5InR
