KEY POINTS
- Jordanian King urges 'lasting' ceasefire in apparent divide with Washington stance
- Iran warns of 'severe consequences' should Israel pursue Rafah ground offensive
- International Criminal Court prosecutor 'deeply concerned' by situation in Gaza
The Israel-Hamas war is now in its 130th day. South Africa, following its "genocide" case against Israel, has filed an urgent request with the World Court, seeking its intervention in Rafah amid growing concerns over Israel's preparations for a ground offensive in the overcrowded southern Gaza city.
The U.S. on Tuesday said Houthis, a Hamas ally and Iranian-backed terror group, attacked an Iran-bound merchant vessel in the Red Sea. The group has repeatedly claimed that it only attacks Israeli, American and British ships.
France has reportedly proposed a 10-day de-escalation plan in the Israel-Lebanon border between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Iranian-backed Hezbollah combatants, amid rising fears of an all-out war.
Following reports that a senior Hezbollah leader was severely wounded in an Israeli strike, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah vowed that attacks toward Israel will continue until the war in Gaza ends.
- 3 of 8 wounded Israeli hostages have died: Hamas' Al Qassam Brigades
- IDF believes it can distinguish between civilians and Hamas militants
- Hamas Jenin leader arrested in joint operation: IDF
- Kremlin says ready to support 'any action' leading to ceasefire-hostage deal
- US, UK reportedly launch 'attack' on Houthi sites in Yemen's Hodeidah
- Cairo talks for proposed Gaza ceasefire have started: Arab report
Israel announced the deaths of three soldiers from the IDF's Southern Division, including a battalion commander. The announcement comes as Israel prepares to launch a ground raid into Rafah despite international calls for restraint.
The US. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Tuesday confirmed that a Greek-owned ship transiting Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea was attacked by two missiles fired by Yemeni Houthi rebels. The merchant ship was bound for Iran.
Back in war-torn Gaza, U.S. President Joe Biden is pushing for a six-week pause in the fighting. The move comes following talks between Biden and Jordan's King Abdullah II.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated that the Israeli army will continue fighting against Hamas until the Palestinian terror group that murdered more than 1,200 people during the Oct. 7 shock raid in Israel is eliminated. His government has had an unwavering stance regarding the IDF's ground campaign in Gaza, as driven by years of violence in the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Meanwhile, the loved ones of remaining hostages in Gaza have become increasingly frustrated with the pace of negotiations for a ceasefire-hostage deal. Two elderly hostages were rescued by Israeli troops from Rafah on Monday, while some 130 others are yet to be freed.
The live update has ended.
Truce deal talks in Cairo begin: Arab report
Talks in Cairo over the proposed Gaza ceasefire have started, Sky News in Arabic reported, citing Egyptian sources. Negotiators from the U.S., Israel, Qatar and Egypt are joining the discussions, as per the report.
South Africa lodges urgent request for Rafah intervention at ICJ
South Africa on Tuesday made an urgent request to the United Nations' World Court, also called the International Court of Justice (ICJ), urging the court to use its authority to intervene in Rafah.
The request comes amid increasing calls for restraint in the city, considering the humanitarian situation in the area where more than a million Gaza civilians are believed to be crammed due to the fighting.
South Africa previously lodged a case against Israel at the ICJ, accusing the country of committing "genocidal acts" in the Gaza Strip.
US-UK attack targets sites in Hodeidah district: Arab media
An "American-British attack" targeted several sites in the district of Al Tuhayta in Hodeidah, Yemen on Tuesday, Sky News Arabia reported, citing Houthi media.
Both the U.S. and United Kingdom have yet to confirm or deny the report, but the allies have carried out several rounds of strikes targeting Houthi assets in Yemen in recent weeks over the rebel militia' continuing aggression in the Red Sea.
Russia says ready to support efforts toward Gaza truce
The Kremlin said Tuesday that it was prepared to support efforts that will lead to the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza, where thousands have been killed and hundreds of Israeli soldiers have fallen in battles against Hamas militants.
"We are ready to support any action that will lead to the release of the hostages and a ceasefire. But we believe that the actions should be constructive, aimed at a comprehensive solution of the problem within the framework of international law and previously-adopted Security Council resolutions," said Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin's spokesman.
Hamas Jenin military leader arrested: IDF
Omar Fayed, described by the IDF as "one of the leaders of the military infrastructure of the terrorist organization Hamas in Jenin," in the West Bank, was arrested Tuesday in a joint operation by Israeli reserve fighters, Israel's security agency Shin Bet and IOSH security forces, the Israeli army said in a statement on X.
Fayed is allegedly involved in several shooting attacks against Israeli troops. Two soldiers were injured during his arrest and he has since been handed over to Israeli security authorities for further investigation.
Over 28,000 Palestinians killed since Oct. 7: Hamas-run health ministry
Gaza's health ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, said on Tuesday that 28,473 Palestinians have been killed since the war started. In the past day, more than 130 Palestinians were killed in the raging war and 162 were wounded, the ministry said.
2 seriously injured in northern Israel rocket impact: Local reports
Two people were seriously injured Tuesday after a rocket fell in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel, multiple local outlets reported.
The said city has been the target of rocket launches from Lebanese territory by Iran-backed Hezbollah in recent weeks.
IDF confident it can distinguish civilians from Hamas: Official
The Israeli army believes it can differentiate between civilians and Hamas combatants, IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Peter Lerner told CNN Tuesday.
"It can be done. We have confidence in our ability to differentiate and distinguish" between civilians and Gaza and terror fighters, he said. He admitted that the process comes "not without a challenge."
On the IDF's plan to safely evacuate people from Rafah, Lerner said the plan has yet to be presented to the Israeli government. Netanyahu ordered the Israeli army late last week to prepare for the evacuation of the Rafah public amid an anticipated ground raid of the southern Gaza city.
Rafah airstrikes shouldn't affect hostage deal talks: US official
Israeli airstrikes in Rafah shouldn't affect talks for a ceasefire-hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Tuesday.
The official's remarks came ahead of talks between Egyptian, Qatari, Israeli and U.S. senior officials in Cairo to iron out the details of a three-phase truce framework that could see the release of more hostages and move toward an extended pause in the fighting, sources familiar with the matter revealed, as per Reuters.
"Israel has had an ongoing military campaign, so I don't know why a new set of strikes would change the nature of these negotiations," Miller said. He declined to confirm that truce talks will take place in Egypt Tuesday.
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri, on the other hand, said the terror group has "shown great flexibility" in ceasefire talks, but Israel had been "stalling."
3 of 8 Israeli hostages injured in Israeli airstrikes dead: Hamas
The Al Qassam Brigades, Hamas' armed wing, said on Monday that three of eight Israeli hostages seriously injured in Israeli airstrikes have died from their wounds.
"We will postpone the announcement of the names and pictures of the dead for the coming days until the fate of the remaining wounded becomes clear," the Hamas unit said.
The Israeli army has yet to confirm or deny the militant group's claims.
ICC prosecutor 'deeply concerned' over reported Rafah strikes
Karim Khan, the ICC's prosecutor, on Monday expressed deep concern over reported bombardment of Rafah by Israeli forces and the "potential ground incursion" by the IDF in the civilian-packed city.
"All wars have rules and the laws applicable to armed conflict cannot be interpreted so as to render them hollow or devoid of meaning," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
He added that since he delivered a similar message last year, he has "not seen any discernible change in conduct by Israel." He went on to reiterate that his office was "actively investigating" any crimes allegedly committed in the Israel-Hamas war.
'Extending' Gaza offensive will have 'severe consequences' for Israel: Iran
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian late on Monday warned Israel against pursuing a ground raid of Rafah, an overcrowded city in southern Gaza that is believed to now have more than a million residents due to evacuees moving to the area since the war started.
"Extending the scope of war" in Gaza "will have severe consequences for Tel Aviv," the Iranian official said.
This comes as more countries call on restraint in Rafah, considering the dire situation of civilians in the city who have been displaced by the fighting.
Biden pushes for 6-week fighting pause in Gaza
The Biden administration is pushing for a pause in hostilities in the Gaza Strip "for at least six weeks," the U.S. president said following his meeting with Jordan's King Monday.
The leaders spoke about the developments of the war in Gaza, efforts to bring in more aid for civilians in the enclave, and global fears regarding the dire humanitarian situation in Rafah.
Join me and His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan as we deliver remarks following our meeting where we discussed the ongoing situation in Gaza. https://t.co/5gzgN7Hrzo
— President Biden (@POTUS) February 12, 2024
Biden said a six-week halt in the fighting "could then take the time to build something more enduring." King Abdullah, on the other hand, was clear that Jordan wanted a "lasting ceasefire now." He said the world should not "stand by and let this continue."
Greek-owned cargo ship targeted by Houthis: US army
Two missiles fired "from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen" MV Star Iris on Monday. The Greek-owned, Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship was carrying corn from Brazil to Bandar Imam Khomeini, Iran, CENTCOM said Tuesday.
The targeted vessel remains seaworthy even after it sustained minor damage from the attacks, and its crew members are safe, the U.S. army said.
Houthi Attack in Bab al-Mandeb
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 13, 2024
On Feb. 12 from 3:30 to 3:45 a.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi militants fired two missiles from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Bab al-Mandeb. Both missiles were launched toward MV Star Iris, a Greek-owned, Marshall… pic.twitter.com/vfihRaw0rr
Monday's attacks mark the first time a ship headed toward Iran has been targeted by the Yemeni rebel militia.
Hezbollah chief warns Lebanon front 'will remain open'
The "front in Lebanon will remain open as long as long as" the war in Gaza ensues, Nasrallah announced on X Tuesday. He said no "threats nor temptations" will work at this point.
The front in Lebanon will remain open as long as the aggression against Gaza continues. Neither threats nor temptations nor linking what is happening on the border to any internal entitlement, will work. pic.twitter.com/DW8KBwQzpp
— حسن نصر الله (@SH_NasrallahEng) February 12, 2024
His comments came following reports that a senior Hezbollah official was severely wounded in an Israeli strike Monday in southern Lebanon.
Nasrallah has since announced the death of one Hezbollah member Monday, but did not specify whether he was a senior ranking member of the terror group.
3 soldiers killed in Gaza, including commander of IDF's 630th Battalion
The Israeli army on Tuesday announced the deaths of three soldiers who fell in battles against Hamas in southern Gaza on Monday. They are fighters of the 630thBattalion, of the IDF's Southern Brigade.
- Lt. Col. Nathaniel Ya'akov Alkobi, 36 – commander of the 630th Battalion, Southern Brigade (from Haifa)
- Maj. Yair Cohen, 30 – acting company commander in the 630th Battalion, Southern Brigade (from Ramat Gan)
- Maj. Gen. Ziv Chen, 27 – reserve fighter in the 630th Battalion, Southern Brigade (from Kfar Saba)
הותר לפרסום: רס"ל (מיל') זיו חן, סרן (מיל') יאיר כהן וסא"ל (מיל') נתנאל יעקב אלקובי מגדוד 630 נפלו בדרום רצועת עזה כתוצאה מפיצוץ מטען בתוך מבנה ממולכד. שני לוחמים נפצעו קשה@ela1949 pic.twitter.com/CVoCOXFoPU
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) February 13, 2024
France proposes plan to de-escalate Israel-Hezbollah fighting
France has delivered a proposal to Lebanon in a bid to end hostilities at the Israeli-Lebanese border, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing a document it viewed.
The proposal includes a call for fighters of Hezbollah, which is a Hamas ally and, like the Palestinian militant group, is backed by Iran, to withdraw 10 km (6 miles) from the tension-packed border in a 10-day de-escalation process that should prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.
The three-phase plan includes the dismantling of all Hezbollah premises and facilities near the border at least 10 km north of the Lebanese frontier, with the aim of helping ensure that rockets do not reach communities in northern Israel.
Senior Hezbollah official Hassan Fadlallah told the outlet that the group will not negotiate "any matter related to the situation in the south before the halt of the aggression on Gaza." He went on to warn that Israel was "not in the position to impose conditions."
An Israeli official, on the other hand, confirmed that a proposal has been received and the government was discussing it.
