KEY POINTS
- US airman who set himself ablaze outside Israeli embassy dies
- Palestinian Authority's Mahmoud Abbas accepts PM Mohammad Shtayyeh's resignation
- Loved ones of abductees call on Israeli government to "choose the hostages"
The war in Gaza is now on its 144th day, and hopes for a new ceasefire deal are on the rise as details of a draft truce proposal for Ramadan have emerged. Still, tensions in the Middle East remain at a concerning high as Iranian-backed Houthis continue to threaten commercial shipping activities in the Red and Arabian Seas and the Gulf of Aden.
Hamas is studying a 40-day ceasefire proposal in Gaza that reportedly includes releasing 40 hostages in exchange for freeing 400 Palestinian prisoners. U.S. President Joe Biden said Israel is ready to halt its military operations during the month of Ramadan, but a Hamas official reportedly said Biden's optimistic remarks on a truce were premature.
- 'Concerning shift' in Israel-Hezbollah fire exchanges: UNIFIL
- Iran reportedly pledges 'submarines' for Houthi following US-UK strikes
- Houthi attacks reportedly affect four Red Sea submarine cables
- Hezbollah says it used Soviet Union-developed rocket launchers in IDF base attack
- US, UK sanction IRGC Quds Force's deputy commander: State Department spokesperson
In the greater Red Sea, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report of "irregular activity" wherein three small boats tailed a merchant ship for one hour off Saudi Arabia.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) also said it destroyed three unmanned surface vessels (USVs) and a drone in self-defense as they posed an imminent threat to merchant ships and U.S. Navy warships in the region.
Iranian-backed Hezbollah on Tuesday said it attacked the Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) Meron air control base, a strategic air surveillance site, with a missile barrage "in response" to Israeli airstrikes in the Bekaa Valley that killed two Hezbollah members Monday.
The IDF announced late Monday that it eliminated Hassan Hossein Salami, a Hezbollah operative "responsible for the Hajir region." His assassination came following reports that an Israeli drone attack targeted a vehicle in southern Lebanon earlier Monday.
Back in war-torn Gaza, pressure is mounting on the Israeli government to allow more humanitarian aid to enter the devastated enclave. There have also been warnings from Israel's allies against a ground operation in Rafah unless civilian protection is ensured.
Fighting in Gaza has been on and off for decades due to the deep-rooted Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but the situation reached its deadliest point on Oct. 7, when Hamas militants raided Israel, murdering more than a thousand people and abducting some 250 Israelis and foreigners.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will fight until Hamas is eliminated, even as the loved ones of some 130 remaining hostages in Gaza pressure his government to agree to a ceasefire-hostage deal.
The live update has ended.
No Rafah operation until civilians moved out of combat zone: IDF spokesperson
No operation will be conducted in Rafah, an overcrowded city in southern Gaza, until "all preparations" to move civilians "out of the combat zone" are completed, IDF spokesperson for international media Col. (Res). Olivier Rafowicz told local media in an interview published Tuesday.
‘Nothing will be done in Rafah until we have all the preparations made and implemented to prevent civilian population to be out of the combat zone’
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) February 27, 2024
Says IDF Spox. for International Media, Col. (Res.) Olivier Rafowicz (@RAFOrafo) pic.twitter.com/G8E0i2lw2b
His remarks came amid increasing pressure on Israel to ensure civilian safety before launching a ground operation in the city known to be sheltering more than a million people.
Maersk warns of potential extended Red Sea crisis
Shipping giant Maersk on Tuesday warned that disruptions in the Red Sea could last longer, affecting commercial shipping activities further.
"Be prepared for the Red Sea situation to last into the second half of the year and build longer transit times into your supply chain planning," Charles van der Steene, head of Maersk's North America operations, said in a statement.
He also predicted that costs could be significantly affected. "Many customers factor a cost per unit into their budgeting, and if that fundamentally changes due to all of this volatility, it could have a big impact on overall costs."
US, UK sanction Iranian Quds Force deputy commander
The United States and United Kingdom are sanctioning the Deputy Commander of Iran's Quds Force and Houthi supporters," U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller announced Tuesday.
Washington is also sanctioning "shipping companies supporting Iran's Ministry of Defense," he added in a statement on X.
The United States and UK are sanctioning the Deputy Commander of Iran’s Qods Force and Houthi supporters.
— Matthew Miller (@StateDeptSpox) February 27, 2024
The United States is also sanctioning shipping companies supporting Iran's Ministry of Defense. We will defend the region’s vital waterways from Iran-enabled Houthi attacks.
The Quds Force is a unit under the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The unit specializes in unconventional warfare and is responsible for providing training, weapons, funding and military advice to "armed groups in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, and elsewhere" as per think tank the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).
The sanctions came following a report that Iran pledged it will double weaponry support for Houthis, including submarines.
Hezbollah says it used Katyusha rocket launcher in attacks toward IDF base
Hezbollah on Friday afternoon claimed that it fired "dozens of Katyusha rockets and achieved direct hits" toward the IDF's 146th Division headquarters in northern Israel.
Katyusha rocket launchers were first used by the Soviet Union in World War II. They are said to deliver explosives faster than conventional artillery.
Houthi attacks damage Red Sea submarine communications cables: Report
Houthi attacks since November have damaged four submarine communications cables in the Red Sea between Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Djibouti in East Africa, Israeli outlet Globes reported.
The cables reportedly belong to TGN, EIG, AAE-1 and Seacom, as per the report. The damage has allegedly caused "serious disruption of Internet communications between Europe and Asia, with the main damage being felt in the Gulf countries and India."
Estimates reveal that repairs on such a massive network of underwater cables may take at least eight weeks. There is also concern that repair work may risk exposure to the Yemeni Houthi rebel militia, as per the report.
Four underwater communications cables between Europe and Asia have been struck out in recent months, presumably as a result of attacks by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, according to an exclusive report in the Israeli news site Globes
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) February 27, 2024
📹— @SwiftJournalism pic.twitter.com/pgMeGj2ZyT
The Yemeni government has since denied media reports "on the allegations as to what have been caused to Red Sea submarine caboles."
In a statement published Tuesday, Yemen's Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology (MTIT) said the Yemeni government was "keen to keep all telecom submarine cables and its relevant services away from any possible risks."
However, cybersecurity monitoring firm NetBlocks reported Monday that there was a "disruption to network connectivity at the Djibouti Data Center which connects the country's landing stations."
⚠️ Confirmed: Metrics show a disruption to network connectivity at the Djibouti Data Center which connects the country's landing stations; the incident comes as Israeli media report four submarine cables across the Red Sea including SEACOM have been targeted by Houthi rebels ✂️ pic.twitter.com/tjlBLAgYd4
— NetBlocks (@netblocks) February 26, 2024
African media also reported that SEACOM, Africa's main network service provider, said it encountered an outage that affected its subsea cable system starting Feb. 24.
Iran promised 'submarines' to Houthis: Report
Iran has promised to Yemeni rebel Houthis that it will "double" support for the terror group to include "submarines" following joint U.S.-UK strikes targeting Houthi paramilitary assets in the past weeks, Israeli outlet i24 News reported Tuesday, citing Yemeni sources.
The report came days after Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said the militant group will add new "submarine weapons" to its arsenal in plans to expand attacks in the Red Sea. The rebel militia also said it can completely shut down the Bab El-Mandeb Strait but has not done so as it was "keen on international navigation."
'Concerning shift' in Israel-Lebanon fire exchanges: UNIFIL
UNIFIL, the United Nations' peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, on Tuesday warned of a "concerning shift in the exchanges of fire" in the Israeli-Lebanese border between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants who said they will continue firing toward Israel until the war in Gaza ends.
In a series of posts on X, the UNIFIL said fire exchanges have "jeopardized the life of tens of thousands of civilians on both sides of the Blue Line," the UN-drawn demarcation line drawn when Israeli forces withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000.
The mission then urged "all parties involved" to halt the fighting to prevent further escalation and allow for political and diplomatic negotiations that should return stability for residents living near the border.
Over the past days we have seen a concerning shift in the exchanges of fire.
— UNIFIL (@UNIFIL_) February 27, 2024
This conflict has already claimed too many lives and caused significant damage to houses and public infrastructure. (1/4)
Hostages' loved ones remind Israel to 'choose the hostages'
Israeli cities are holding municipal elections Tuesday, and the families and supporters of hostages still in Hamas captivity are traveling around the country to remind Israel that the abductees' democratic rights to choose and vote have been denied as they remain in Gaza nearly five months into the war.
Onboard a bus that has a "Choose the Hostages" signage, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum hopes they can encourage Israeli voters to support their cause to free some 130 remaining hostages in Gaza.
The forum members also wore shirts and put up posters that read the same message.
Families, friends, and supporters opened stands to raise awareness for their dire absence all over the country in locations where hostages were slated to vote.
— Tal Schneider טל שניידר تال شنايدر (@talschneider) February 27, 2024
T-shirt slogan: Choose the hostages pic.twitter.com/uZCACIcLgG
Abbas accepts Shtayyeh's resignation
The PA's president has accepted Shtayyeh's resignation, multiple local outlets reported Tuesday after the Palestinian prime minister submitted his resignation amid mounting calls for a reform in the government.
Abbas has reportedly asked Shtayyeh to remain as a caretaker until the appointment of a permanent replacement. Shtayyeh and his cabinet resigned Monday, saying it was a move that should allow for the establishment of a government in consensus among Palestinians in a post-war Gaza.
US airman who set himself on fire outside Israeli embassy has died
Senior U.S. airman Aaron Bushnell, 25, who set himself ablaze outside the Israeli embassy in Washington Sunday in an apparent protest against the Gaza war, has died, as per military and police authorities.
Bushnell was reportedly protesting against the war in Gaza, declaring he will "not be complicit in genocide" and yelling "Free Palestine" multiple times before falling on the ground, on fire.
Read the full story here.
Hezbollah attacks IDF air control base
The Iranian-backed terror group on Tuesday said it attacked the Israeli army's "air control base" in Meron, a moshav in northern Israel. Hezbollah said it launched "a large missile salvo" toward the said strategic IDF site.
It said the missile barrage was carried out "in response" to the killing of two Hezbollah militants in Israeli airstrikes targeting the Bekaa Valley in southern Lebanon Monday.
Hezbollah operative leading Hajir region assassinated: IDF
The Israeli army said late Monday that it eliminated Salami, whom it said was responsible for the Lebanon-based terror group's operations in the Hajir region. Salami is accused of commanding recent Hezbollah activities, "including anti-tank missile launches."
ELIMINATED: Hassan Hossein Salami, the Hezbollah terrorist responsible for the Hajir region.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 26, 2024
He was part of Hezbollah’s Nasser Unit and commanded recent Hezbollah terrorist activities, including anti-tank missile launches toward Israel. pic.twitter.com/QAAanMD79x
He said to be part of Hezbollah's Nasser Unit, the militant group's armed Mediterranean that has a considerable weapons arsenal including short range rockets, anti-ship missiles and coastal surveillance equipment.
As reported Monday, an Israeli drone attack targeted a vehicle in the town of Al-Majadil, southern Lebanon. The town's mayor reportedly said a "prominent figure" was targeted in the drone strike.
The Israeli army has since confirmed that an IDF aircraft "killed" Salami.
כלי טיס של צה"ל חיסל בדרום לבנון את אחראי גזרת חג'יר, המחבל חסן חסין סלאמי.
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) February 26, 2024
סלאמי משתייך ליחידת נאצר בארגון הטרור חיזבאללה ופיקד על מספר מתווי טרור שבוצעו לעבר כוחות צה"ל, ולעבר יעדים אזרחיים וצבאיים בצפון הארץ>> pic.twitter.com/hMIRRGWHAx
US destroys USVs, missiles and drone in self-defense
U.S. forces on Monday destroyed three USVs, two mobile anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs) and a one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) "in self-defense," CENTCOM said Tuesday. "The USV and ASCM weapons were prepared to launch towards, and the UAV was over, the Red Sea," it added.
Feb. 26 Red Sea Update
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 27, 2024
On Feb. 26, between the hours of 4:45 p.m. and 11:45a p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces destroyed three unmanned surface vessels (USV), two mobile anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), and a one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)… pic.twitter.com/UtH2eJuMke
This comes a day after Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthi rebels attacked an American tanker in the Gulf of Aden.
'Irregular activity' reported off Saudi Arabia: UKMTO
"Irregular activity" by three small boats were reported around 90 nautical miles east of Saudi Arabia's Ras Al Misham Tuesday afternoon local time, the UKMTO reported.
Two persons were onboard the boats, "dark in color," the report noted. A commercial vessel reported that while no weapons or uniforms were visible, the boats "followed" the ship for one hour at a distance of less than one nautical mile.
The ship and crew are safe, but the UKMTO advised other merchant vessels to transit the area with caution.
UKMTO ADVISORY INCIDENT 041 UPDATE 001
— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) February 27, 2024
IRREGULAR ACTIVITYhttps://t.co/89wzsj0pnq pic.twitter.com/PAqYkqRh2N
There are still 'big gaps' in truce talks: Hamas official
Despite Biden's optimism over a possible halt in fighting in Gaza under a ceasefire agreement that could free the remaining hostages, a Hamas official said there were still "big gaps to be bridged" as the "primary and main issues of the ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces are not clearly stated," Reuters reported.
The official noted that such unclear provisions in the draft ceasefire agreement was delaying the deal.
Biden hopes for Gaza ceasefire to begin next week
The U.S. leader on Monday said he was hoping for a ceasefire in Gaza to start next week. He also said Israel was prepared to halt military operations during the Muslim Ramadan month as part of a truce-for-hostages deal "in order to give us time to get all the hostages out."
"My national security advisor tells me that we're close, we're close, we're not done yet. My hope is by next Monday we'll have a ceasefire," he said.
Read the full story here.
Hamas reviewing draft truce proposal: Report
Hamas is currently studying a 40-day draft ceasefire proposal during the Ramadan period that was drawn up from truce talks in Paris, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing a senior close to the discussions.
The proposal reportedly includes the release of 40 hostages in exchange for 400 Palestinian prisoners during the first stage of the deal under an overall hostage-prisoner exchange ratio of one to 10.
It also includes the following details as per the report:
- Israel and Hamas will completely halt military operations
- Aerial reconnaissance operations over the Gaza Strip will stop for eight hours per day
- All remaining Israeli hostages will be released in exchange for a specific number of Palestinian detainees
- Displaced civilians will gradually be returned to the northern Gaza Strip, except men who reached military service age
- Israel will move its forces away from crowded Gaza towns after the first phase kicks off
- Israel will commit to allowing 500 humanitarian trucks into Gaza per day
- 200,000 tents and 60,000 caravans will be committed to Gazans
- Bakeries and hospital repairs will be allowed
- Israel will agree to entry of heavy machinery and equipment to begin rebuilding the enclave
- Hamas will pledge to not use the machines and equipment against Israel
- Arrangements agreed in the first stage of the deal will not apply to the second phase
- Separate negotiations will be conducted for the second phase
Israel and Hamas have yet to confirm the released details of the said draft proposal.
