KEY POINTS
- Israel is reportedly preparing for Iranian retaliation from Syria and Lebanon
- U.S. said some personnel were injured by the Iran-backed group's attack at Iraq base
- Some countries have expressed willingness to accept Gaza refugees, as per Israeli MK
It's the 81st day of intense fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and continuing bombardment between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants near Israel's northern border with Lebanon risks a wider war that other countries have been concerned about since the Oct. 7 massacre by Hamas in Israel.
Aside from the Israel-Hezbollah fire exchanges intensifying in recent days, U.S. strikes targeting Kata'ib Hezbollah facilities in Iraq Monday are raising fears of a regional spillover.
- Incident reported early Tuesday off Al-Hodeidah: UKMTO
- Japan will sanction 3 Hamas members believed to have financing authority
- At least 1 pro-Iran militia member was killed in US airstrikes: Report
- Austin reiterates the airstrikes in Iraq were 'necessary and proportionate'
- Iranian FM says 'tough countdown' awaits Israel
- Northern Israel residents say government has 'abandoned' them
- Hapag-Lloyd to decide on Red Sea shipments Wednesday
- 2 explosions reported off Houthi-held Hodeidah port
- Chances of new hostage-ceasefire deal currently low: Israeli officials
- Israel warns organizations about Iranian phishing attack
- Israel is fighting on seven fronts: Israeli defense minister
- Missile fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel church: Local media
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continue to publish footage and images of what it said is proof of Hamas' use of medical facilities across the Gaza Strip for its paramilitary operations. The latest reveal includes a video that the IDF said showed a "variety of materials" linking the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza to Hamas.
Desperation is growing by the day among the families of hostages still being held in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the families in a special Knesset session Monday that the government was "making every effort, both seen and unseen" to bring the remaining captives back home.
Hamas and its ally, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), reportedly rejected the idea of a government overhaul in Gaza in exchange for a permanent ceasefire.
Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre of more than 1,200 people marks the pinnacle of the deep-rooted history of the Israel-Palestine conflict riddled with decades of violence and hostilities that has often left civilians from both sides suffering from the impact of endless fighting.
The live update has ended.
Civilian wounded in Lebanese missile attack
An Israeli civilian was wounded after an anti-tank missile was fired from Lebanon toward a church in northern Israel, local media reported Tuesday local time.
🔴 Israeli civilian wounded by anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon toward a church in northern Israel
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) December 26, 2023
'No immunity' for any country that targets Israel: Defense minister
Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday revealed that Israel was fighting on seven fronts, but has only responded to six fronts since the war started: Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, Iraq, Yemen and Iran.
He warned that any country that attacks Israel should expect potential retribution, as per i24 News Middle East correspondent Ariel Oseran.
Defense Minister Yoav Galant says Israel is engaged in "a multi-front war" and has been attacked from seven different arenas since the start of the war in Gaza, while responding so far to six of them.
— Ariel Oseran (@ariel_oseran) December 26, 2023
"We are in a multi-front war. We are being attacked from seven different… pic.twitter.com/aJNjtuJeZ6
"I say here in the most explicit way – anyone who acts against us is a potential target. There is no immunity for anyone," he said during a Knesset session of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
Israel's cyber directorate warns of Iranian phishing attack
The Israeli National Cyber Array on Tuesday warned the public of an "Iranian phishing attack" that impersonates emails to trick employees of Israeli organizations into downloading a security update that's actually a harmful software.
The malicious software then steals and deletes an organization's information. An alert has been provided to organizations on how they can detect and block the phishing attack.
Hostage deal chances currently low: Report
The chances of securing a new hostage release deal are low at this point, Israel's national broadcaster Kan reported Tuesday, citing Israeli officials.
Israel isn't sure at this time if Hamas wants a deal due to the demands it has made even if it knows the Israeli government will not agree, as per the report. It is also unclear if the terror group was even interested in a deal at all or if it was willing to compromise to achieve a ceasefire.
Man killed in central Israel vehicle explosion: Local media
A man was killed in a car explosion in the central city of Netanya Tuesday, local N12 News reported. Initial reports indicate the explosion is a suspected assassination.
חשד לחיסול בנתניה: גבר נהרג בפיצוץ רכב@OrRavid
— החדשות - N12 (@N12News) December 26, 2023
צילום: במת החדשות pic.twitter.com/NhaTHELIml
Hezbollah fires toward Mount Dov, Shomera
Hezbollah launches were detected from Lebanon toward Mount Dov and Shomera in northern Israel "a short time ago," the IDF said.
Two explosions reported at Red Sea: UKMTO
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said Tuesday that it received two reports of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) sightings in the Red Sea early in the morning off the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah.
About 15 minutes after the sightings, two explosions were observed approximately five nautical miles from the reporting ship. The ship has since communicated with the U.S.-led coalition forces in the Red Sea and confirmed that the vessel and crew are safe.
UKMTO WARNING 021/DEC/2023 UPDATE 001https://t.co/Z0vTdolDwv#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/YO4FeFYetF
— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) December 26, 2023
Hapag-Lloyd to decide Wednesday regarding Red Sea shipments
German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd will decide on Wednesday whether or not to resume shipments in the Red Sea following multiple attacks by Yemeni Houthi rebels against commercial ships in the area.
The news came after shipping giant Maersk said Sunday that it was preparing to resume operations in the turbulent Red Sea.
Northern Israel residents protest 'abandonment' of north amid Hezbollah fire
Hundreds of northern Israel residents staged a protest Tuesday morning at the Amiad junction in Upper Galilee to protest the continuing fire exchange between Israeli troops and Hezbollah forces near Israel's northern border with Lebanon that make residents feel the government has "abandoned" them.
מאות תושבי הצפון מפגינים בצומת עמיעד שבגליל: "הפקירו אותנו" https://t.co/3gjEGWDgNY
— Haaretz הארץ (@Haaretz) December 26, 2023
"The government has lost the north," one protester said, as per a Google-translated report by Haaretz. "We are all refugees," another resident said.
Several communities in the north were evacuated since Iran-backed Hezbollah intensified rocket and missile launches toward Israel. The protesters called on the government to work out a long-term solution and make sure that Hezbollah forces are kept away from the border.
Iranian FM issues stark warning to Israel
Following the assassination of a top Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) advisor, Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, took to Twitter to release a short but stark warning to Israel.
"Tel Aviv is waiting for a tough countdown," Amir-Abdollahian wrote in a Google translated post on X early Tuesday.
Hostages' families push Israeli government for captives' release deal
The families and loved ones of hostages still being held in the Gaza Strip are calling on the Israeli government to "make braver decisions" so the captives can be freed.
'We want people to remember them and not forget that they're still there and they need to come home'
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) December 26, 2023
129 people have been held in #Hamas captivity for 81 days. Hostages' families and former captives push for a new deal that will #BringThemHomeNow pic.twitter.com/ljhqPcIXr9
During a protest Monday night, one loved one said Netanyahu is "responsible" for what happened on Oct. 7, seemingly referring to security and intelligence lapses that led to the sweeping carnage of more than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals by Hamas operatives.
Another family member of a hostage said "we want people to remember them and to not forget that they're there, and they need to come home."
At least 24 injured, 1 killed in US airstrikes in Iraq: Report
At least 24 Iranian-backed militia member and one other was killed in a series of airstrikes by the U.S. military in Iraq Monday, AFP reported, citing Iraqi security sources.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the airstrikes, at the direction of the U.S. president, were "necessary and proportionate" and were conducted in response to attacks targeting American personnel and Iraq and Syria by "Iranian-sponsored militias."
Israeli warplanes attack over 100 Hamas targets
Israeli fighter jets attacked more than a hundred Hamas targets in the past day, the IDF said Tuesday. Infrastructure and tunnel shafts were the focus of the said attacks.
במסגרת המטס, עשרות מטוסי קרב תקפו מעל 100 מטרות טרור של ארגון הטרור חמאס.
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) December 26, 2023
בין המטרות שנתקפו, פירי מנהרות, תשתיות טרור של ארגון הטרור חמאס ואתרים צבאיים המשמשים את הארגון לפגיעה בכוחות צה״ל >> pic.twitter.com/aWdeSmZ561
Some countries willing to accept Gaza refugees: Israeli MK
Danny Danon, a former UN ambassador and current Knesset member, said Monday night that Israel has received inquiries from some countries that expressed willingness to take in Gaza refugees.
While he did not specify which countries sent in inquiries, he said the inquiries were from Africa and South America. He clarified that the move was meant to be a "voluntary migration of Palestinians who wish to leave" due to the war.
Speaking about an after-war Gaza, Danon said there was "no reason to rehabilitate" the enclave if the people are "not ready to renounce incitement and terrorism."
Japan to sanction 3 Hamas members
Japan will impose sanctions on three Hamas members believed to have been involved in the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, Japanese chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Tuesday.
The said individuals are also believed to have the authority to utilize Hamas funds to finance the terror group's paramilitary activities, Hayashi said.
Incident reported off Al-Hodeidah: UKMTO
The UKMTO announced Tuesday morning local time that it received an incident report west of Al-Hodeidah in Yemen. Authorities are currently investigating the incident.
UKMTO WARNING 021/DEC/2023https://t.co/3unfFGVGNG#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/ninFbTw6Pq
— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) December 26, 2023
The latest development came amid escalating tensions in the Red Sea due to attacks initiated by Yemen's Houthi rebel army.
Israel rejects responsibility for airstrike killing of IRGC senior general
Iran has vowed retribution for what it said was the killing of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Gen. Razi Moussavi by an Israeli airstrike in Syria, but Israel has since reportedly rejected responsibility for Moussavi's death, as per Axios political reporter Barak Ravid.
An Israeli official told me the IDF is preparing for an Iranian retaliation including rocket fire from Syria and Lebanon https://t.co/6XbaMqk9TZ
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) December 25, 2023
An Israeli official also told Ravid Monday that the IDF is currently preparing for retaliation from Tehran, including rocket fire from Lebanon and Syria, where Iranian-backed groups are based in. Moussavi was allegedly in charge of Iranian weapons shipments to Syrian pro-Iran militia and Lebanon-based Hezbollah.
Moussavi has been described by Iranian state media as "one of the most experienced advisers" of the IRGC's foreign arm, the Quds Force. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi vowed that Israel "will certainly pay for this crime."
Read the full story here.
Hamas, PIJ reject Egyptian proposal to relinquish power: Report
Hamas and its ally, the PIJ, have rejected a proposal by Egypt that they relinquish control of the Gaza Strip in exchange for a permanent ceasefire, Reuters reported Monday, citing two Egyptian security sources.
The sources said the Egyptian proposal was a "vision" instead of a concrete plan. They added that Egypt offered elections as well as the assurance that Hamas will not be prosecuted or hunted down. However, Hamas rejected anything else in exchange for a ceasefire but the release of hostages, the sources said.
PIJ official Ali Abu Shaheen confirmed that Egypt did present an offer. Two officials from Hamas and PIJ have since denied what the sources said about the discussions.
Netanyahu holds special session to discuss remaining hostages
The Netanyahu government held a special session at the Knesset Monday night to address the issue on remaining hostages in Gaza. The Israeli prime minister reassured the families that government is "making every effort, both seen and unseen, to bring our hostages home."
His remarks came amid increasing pressure from the loved ones of more than 100 captives still in Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip.
"We will shake every tree and turn over every rock to bring all our hostages home. I say this not only as part of a collective, but on an individual basis, because each and every one of them, like you, like me, is precious," he said.
IDF raids Indonesian Hospital, locates 'materials' linked to Hamas
Joint Israeli army units raided the Indonesian Hospital and uncovered "a variety of materials linking it to Hamas activity," the IDF said in a statement late Monday.
The Israeli troops discovered a white Toyota within the "inner compound of the hospital," one that looked like the cars used by Hamas militants during their Oct. 7 carnage in Israel.
טנדר לבן ששומש ע"י מחבלים ושרידי RPG:
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) December 25, 2023
בביה"ח האינדונזי - נחשפו תשתיות טרור ששימשו את חמאס ב-7 באוקטובר.
התיעודים והפרטים המלאים כאן 👈 https://t.co/DQyBXtwh9m pic.twitter.com/r0OBP51A0M
A vehicle with a yellow license plate that belonged to the family of Samer Talalka, one of three hostages mistakenly shot and killed by Israeli forces, was also found within the Indonesian Hospital complex, as per a Google translation of the IDF's statement. Bloodstains were found on the said vehicle.
The Indonesian Hospital, one of northern Gaza's largest healthcare facilities, allegedly "serves as a meeting place for the management of the fighting and a base for senior [Hamas] officials and operatives."
US forces strike Kata'ib Hezbollah facilities in Iraq
American military forces struck "multiple facilities used by Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups in Iraq" Monday night, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced early Tuesday local time.
U.S. CENTCOM conducts strikes against Kataib Hezbollah terrorist group targets in Iraq
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 26, 2023
In response to multiple attacks against coalition forces in Iraq and Syria, U.S. military forces conducted airstrikes against multiple facilities used by Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups… pic.twitter.com/mmL4WqFXq9
Early assessments into the airstrikes indicated that several Kata'ib Hezbollah militants were killed, the Command said, adding that there were no indications civilians were affected by the strikes.
The airstrikes were conducted in response to attacks against coalition forces at the base in Erbil, Iraq earlier Monday that injured some personnel, the U.S. army said.
Kata'ib Hezbollah is an Iraqi Shiite terror group that fought against coalition forces in the Iraq War. It seeks to establish a government in Iraq that aligns with Iranian interests.
Israel strikes Hezbollah posts in Lebanon after missile launched toward Air Force aircraft
The Israeli army struck several Hezbollah launching positions in Lebanon late Monday after an air-to-ground missile was launched from Lebanese territory toward an Israeli Air Force (IAF) aircraft. The aircraft was not hit by the missile, as per the IDF.
בשעות האחרונות זוהו שני שיגורים משטח לבנון לעבר מרחב מנרה.
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) December 25, 2023
במהלך היום, כוחותינו תקפו את מקור הירי ושתי עמדות שיגור לצד מרחבים נוספים בשטח לבנון.
בנוסף, מוקדם יותר היום, שוגר טיל קרקע אוויר משטח לבנון לעבר כלי טיס של חיל האוויר שפעל במרחב. הטיל לא פגע בכלי שסיים את משימתו בהצלחה pic.twitter.com/0SCgWL4Owx
Fire exchanges near the Israel-Lebanon border have been escalating in recent days, increasing fears of a possible all-out war between the two sides. The IDF has warned Iran-backed Hezbollah not to drag the people of Lebanon into an "unnecessary" war.
The facts on the ground speak for themselves:
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) December 18, 2023
Hezbollah’s violations of UN Resolution 1701 have rendered it effectively null and void.
WATCH @IDFSpokesperson address the situation on Israel’s northern front: pic.twitter.com/RDnzFGNXJI
