KEY POINTS
- Israeli soldier wounded in fire exchange with 20 'suspects' along Egyptian border
- IDF warplane attacks Hezbollah asset around Maroun al-Ras, the site of a ground battle during 2006 Lebanon war
- US strongly condemns IRGC's attacks in Iraq
It's the 102nd day of the war in Gaza, and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Tuesday that it has "totally destroyed" a "main" base of Israel's intelligence agency Mossad in Iraq. This comes after Iran, which supports Hamas, repeatedly warned Israel of retribution over its military campaign in the Gaza Strip.
The families of remaining hostages are in shock after Hamas released a video suggesting two more hostages were killed in captivity amid Israeli strikes.
- Houthis say countries participating in 'aggression' are considered 'hostile targets'
- Father of former child hostage believes Hamas 'killed' abductee Itai Svirsky
- Small craft circles vessel in the Red Sea: UKMTO
- Iran gloats of intel supremacy after Mossad base strike
- Hamas fires around 50 rockets toward southern Israel, Gaza border communities
- IRGC 'experts' accompanied Houthis in transferring missiles: Arab media
- Iraq recalls ambassador to Tehran after Erbil strikes
- US military said it seized Iranian-made weapons for Houthis
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) denied that it struck a building that held hostages. IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari clarified that the facility where the abductees were being held "was not a target and it was not attacked" by the Israeli army.
Israel's northern border with Lebanon continues to heat up as Hezbollah, a Hamas ally and Iranian-backed terror group with thousands of combatants and a weapons arsenal much bigger than Hamas, continues to fire toward Israeli communities.
In the Red Sea, where rebel Houthis have gone on a rampage since November, the Houthi militia attacked a U.S.-owned and operated container ship, as per the U.S. army's Central Command (CENTCOM). The Washington-led maritime task in the Red Sea carried out strikes against Houthi assets in Yemen last week.
Meanwhile, intense clashes between Israeli troops and Hamas fighters continue in the southern and central Gaza Strip. The Israeli army has been operating in the Nuseirat camp in the middle of the enclave in recent days, discovering a mortar bomb production site and other weapons "inside a building of a humanitarian organization."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly reiterated that the country will fight until Hamas can no longer threaten Israelis and Palestinians alike. His resolute remarks draw from violent clashes in the decades-long history of the Israel-Palestine conflict that erupted during Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre in Israel.
Hamas militants invaded Israel on that fateful day, killing more than 1,200 Israelis and foreigners and abducting over 200 people – around 136 of whom are still being held in Gaza to this day.
US seizes Iran 'lethal aid' for Houthis: CENTCOM
The U.S. CENTCOM said Tuesday that it seized a "dhow conducting illegal transport of advanced lethal aid from Iran to resupply Houthi forces in Yemen as part of the Houthis' ongoing campaign of attacks against international merchant shipping."
The seizure operation was conducted last week, wherein among the items confiscated were Iran-made ballistic missile and cruise missile components.
USCENTCOM Seizes Iranian Advanced Conventional Weapons Bound for Houthis
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 16, 2024
On 11 January 2024, while conducting a flag verification, U.S. CENTCOM Navy forces conducted a night-time seizure of a dhow conducting illegal transport of advanced lethal aid from Iran to resupply Houthi… pic.twitter.com/yg4PuTZBh7
Iraq recalls ambassador to Iran
Iraq's ambassador to Iran, Nassir Abdel Mohsen, has been recalled "for consultations in the context of the latest Iranian attacks on Erbil in which there were dead and wounded," a statement from the Iraqi foreign ministry said Tuesday.
The Iranian Army said earlier Tuesday that it launched strikes in Iraq, hitting an Israeli Mossad base.
Only 'active' diplomatic route at this point is a ceasefire-hostage deal: Qatari PM
Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani said Tuesday at the World Economic Forum (WEF) that the only "active" diplomatic track at this point in the Gaza war is "the negotiation on the release of hostages in exchange for a ceasefire."
His remarks came following the end of talks for a possible hostage-prisoner exchange deal when Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri was killed in an airstrike in Lebanese territory late last month.
Houthis transferred missiles alongside IRGC 'experts': Arab media
The Houthis, accompanied by IRGC "experts," transported missiles from the Yemeni capital of Sana'a to Hodeidah Tuesday, Sky News Arabia reported, citing Yemeni sources.
The news comes after the rebel militia, another Iran-backed group, vowed that it will continue to prevent Israeli ships and vessels headed toward Israeli ports from moving across the Red Sea.
Rocket barrage fired from Gaza
A rocket barrage was launched toward southern Israel from the Gaza Strip Tuesday morning local time. There was at least one impact from the attacks, local media reported.
🔴 Paramedics en route to several locations, with at least one impact in southern Israel after rocket barrage from #Gaza pic.twitter.com/jdIHBqPg41
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) January 16, 2024
Some 50 rockets were fired from the central part of the Strip toward Netivot and communities near Israel's border with Gaza, as per the Jerusalem Post.
Iran says Mossad base strike proves Iranian Army's intel supremacy over Israel
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson on Tuesday said the IRGC's strikes that "totally destroyed" a "main" Mossad base in Iraq was "a sign of IRGC's full intelligence superiority over" Israel's activities in the region.
Nasser Kan'ani added that Iran will not hesitate to take necessary measures to protect the country's national security.
Iran has repeatedly demanded that Israel end its military offensive in the Gaza Strip. It also vowed retribution for the 2020 assassination of top IRGC Gen. Qasem Soleimani in a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad.
Israel to scale back operations in southern Gaza
Israel, following increasing pressure from the international community to reduce the intensity of its military offensive in the Gaza Strip, said its southern Gaza operations will soon enter a less intensive phase.
The news comes after the Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry said more than 24,000 people in the enclave have been killed in the war.
Read the full story here.
Small craft circles vessel off Eritrea
A small craft was reported to have circled a ship off the coast of Eritrea, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said Tuesday morning local time.
The said sea craft left the area after warning shots were fired, as per the UKMTO.
UKMTO Warning 010/JAN/2024 update 001https://t.co/XsgrK5uW2N#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/apNLam0dzi
— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) January 16, 2024
US condemns Iranian attacks in Iraq
The U.S. Department of State on Tuesday strongly condemned the Iranian army's attacks in Erbil, Iraq, as per a statement issued by spokesperson Matthew Miller. The department also offered condolences to the families of the victims.
"We oppose Iran's reckless missile strikes and support the Government of Iraq," the statement reads.
We strongly condemn Iran’s attacks in Erbil and offer condolences to the families of the victims. We oppose Iran’s reckless missile strikes and support the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government’s efforts to meet the aspirations of the Iraqi people.
— Matthew Miller (@StateDeptSpox) January 16, 2024
As reported earlier, the IRGC said Tuesday it struck a Mossad "main" center in Iraq, saying the facility was "totally destroyed."
Father of freed 9-year-old hostage believes Hamas 'killed' hostage
Thomas Hand, the father of 9-year-old Emily Hand, who was held hostage by Hamas before she was among the children freed under the hostage-ceasefire exchange deal late in November, tearfully told Piers Morgan in an interview late Monday that he believes Hamas "killed" Itai Svirsky.
Emily Hand, 9, wipes away her father's tears as he finds out one of the Hamas hostages who was held captive alongside her has been killed.
— Piers Morgan Uncensored (@PiersUncensored) January 15, 2024
Watch more of Piers Morgan's powerful interview with Thomas Hand at 8pm (UK): https://t.co/dN4dimJCmf@piersmorgan | @TalkTV | #PMU pic.twitter.com/SKZEq6feeU
Svirsky was among two hostages that Hamas claimed had been killed in Israeli airstrikes.
"Svirsky was with Emily for the whole duration of her captivity. There was nothing wrong with him, so they [Hamas] killed him...and of course, blaming the IDF," he said as Emily wiped her father's tears.
IRGC says it struck a Mossad base in Iraq
Iran's IRGC on Tuesday said it fired a missile "at a main espionage center" belonging to Israel's Mossad in Iraq, as per the Iranian government's semi-official Mehr News Agency.
The strike "totally destroyed the Mossad center" that the IRGC claimed had been used by Israel to "develop espionage operations" across the Middle East and especially in Iran. Other Iranian missiles targeted the Erbil area, resulting in some casualties.
It has since uploaded footage showing what it says of the "pounding" of the Mossad facility.
Israeli fighter jet strikes Hezbollah infrastructure in Maroun al-Ras
A warplane of the Israeli Air Force (IAF) "recently" attacked an "operational infrastructure" belonging to Iran-backed Hezbollah in the Maroun al-Ras area late Monday, the IDF said.
צה"ל תקף תשתית מבצעית של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה בשטח לבנון.
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) January 15, 2024
מטוס קרב של חיל האוויר תקף לפני זמן קצר תשתית מבצעית של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה במרחב מארון א-ראס שבדרום לבנון.
מוקדם יותר היום שוגרו מספר מיירטים לעבר מטרות אוויריות חשודות בשטח לבנון במרחבים יארון ורמיש, האירועים הסתיימו pic.twitter.com/qpLfY2oWSc
The strike was carried out after drones were detected from Yaroun and Ramish in Lebanon.
Maroun al-Ras, a small village in southern Lebanon, was the site of a ground battle in the 2006 Lebanon war. The said Israel-Hezbollah war lasted for 34 days.
20 unidentified 'suspects' exchange fire with Israeli troops near Egyptian border: IDF
About 20 unidentified "suspects, including a number of armed men," arrived from Egyptian territory to the Petahat Nitsana area, which is located near the border with Egypt, the IDF said early Tuesday.
During the fire exchange, a female Israeli soldier was moderately injured. Her condition has improved following medical treatment, the Israeli army said.
Houthis say any participating nation in attacks toward Yemen considered 'hostile targets'
The rebel Houthi militia confirmed in a statement Monday that it attacked an American vessel in the Red Sea, calling the launch "accurate and direct."
It also warned other countries against participating in strikes toward Yemen. "The Yemeni armed forces consider all American and British ships and warships participating in the aggression against our country as hostile targets within the target bank of our forces," it said.
The U.S. and the U.K. conducted strikes in Yemen last week that targeted more than a dozen Houthi assets. At the time, Yemen warned that there would be retribution for the attacks.
The U.S. army said Monday that a Houthi missile targeted an American-owned and operated vessel in the Red Sea.
Read the full story here.
Disposed weapons found in a humanitarian organization's facility: IDF
Israeli troops with the 646th Brigade that were operating in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza found "weapons that were disposed of inside a building of a humanitarian organization," the IDF said Monday. The Israeli army did not mention which specific humanitarian group owned the facility.
Within the camp, Israeli forces located a compound that Hamas used to produce mortar bombs. They also discovered a rocket production factory, as per the IDF.
לוחמי חטיבה 646 פועלים במרחב מחנה נוציראת שבמרכז רצועת עזה. במחנה איתרו הכוחות מתחם לייצור פצצות מרגמה, מפעל לייצור רקטות ואמצעי לחימה שהוסלקו בתוך מבנה של ארגון הומניטרי >> pic.twitter.com/LE6WguDA76
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) January 15, 2024
Houthis attack US-owned ship
Yemeni Houthi rebels on Monday afternoon attacked the M/V Gibraltar Eagle, a U.S.-owned and operated container ship transiting the Red Sea, CENTCOM said late Monday.
There was no significant damage to the vessel and there were no injuries reported among its crew. It has since resumed its journey.
The U.S. military also said earlier Monday that an anti-ship ballistic missile fired toward commercial shipping lanes in the southern Red Sea "failed in flight and impacted on land in Yemen."
On Jan. 15 at approximately 4 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi militants fired an anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and struck the M/V Gibraltar Eagle, a Marshall Islands-flagged, U.S.-owned and operated container ship. The ship has… pic.twitter.com/gixEMaUiVT
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 15, 2024
IDF denies striking building where Hamas held hostages
Following the release of a Hamas video late Monday that claimed hostages Itai Svirsky, 38, and Yossi Sharabi, 53, were killed in captivity, the IDF denied that it attacked a building where Svirsky, Sharabi and 26-year-old Noa Argamani were being held.
The video featured Argamani seemingly reading a script that said Israeli strikes toward the building where the abductees were in killed Svirsky and Sharabi. Argamani said she was also injured in the strikes.
"Itai was not shot by our forces. That is a Hamas lie. The building in which they were held was not a target and it was not attacked by our forces," Hagari said Monday. "We don't attack a place if we know there may be hostages inside."
The IDF spokesperson did not provide the name or any other information about the second hostage as requested by the family.
The three hostages were first featured in a Sunday video where they pled to be freed from Hamas captivity due to dire conditions in the Strip. The video ended with the phrase: "Tomorrow (Monday) we will inform you of their fate."
Earlier Monday, the Palestinian militant group released a "teaser" about the fate of the three hostages, using terms such as "some killed, some injured," and "all killed."
