Israeli police reported that officers shot and killed a 19-year-old Palestinian from the Gaza Strip after he stabbed a police officer in the occupied West Bank. The officer sustained light injuries in the attack. It remains unclear why the Palestinian was in the West Bank at the time of the incident.
This violent episode is part of a surge in violence in the West Bank following the onset of the conflict in Gaza. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, over 500 Palestinians have lost their lives in the West Bank during this period, with most casualties occurring in clashes with Israeli forces. Some individuals were also killed during stone-throwing incidents or protests against the military. Tragically, not all those killed were directly involved in confrontations with Israeli forces. Palestinian attacks on Israelis in the West Bank have been escalating since the conflict began.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, Yemen's Houthi rebels carried out two attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The United States Central Command confirmed that three small Houthi vessels targeted the Panama-flagged and Israeli-owned MT Bently I near Yemen's Al Hudaydah coast. The vessel's captain reported multiple missile strikes in close proximity to the ship. Additionally, the MT Chios Lion, a Liberian-flagged oil tanker, was attacked by an uncrewed Houthi aerial vehicle off the same coast, causing minor damage and light smoke.
The Houthis have claimed responsibility for these attacks, stating that they target ships associated with Israel, the United States, or Britain in support of Hamas. However, some of the targeted vessels have minimal or no connection to the ongoing conflict, including those en route to Iran, a supporter of the Houthis.
Both ships and their crews emerged unharmed from the attacks, as confirmed by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center. The incidents underscore the complex and volatile nature of the conflicts in the region, with repercussions extending beyond the immediate combat zones.
