KEY POINTS
- Hezbollah expected to halt northern Israel attacks if Hamas OKs Gaza truce
- Iran 'terror plot' kills militant in premature explosion
- Senators question Biden's Yemen strategy, demand congressional authorization
It's the 145th day of the ongoing war in Gaza, and Hamas, which has not fired rocket barrages toward southern Israel in recent weeks, claimed it fired 40 missiles toward sites belonging to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Wednesday.
Eyes are on the Israel-Lebanon border, where tensions have intensified dramatically. Iranian-backed Hezbollah raised alarm as it continued to fire toward northern Israel, targeting sites and assets of the Israeli army.
- 160 food and medical packages airdropped into southern Gaza
- 2 IDF Givati Brigade officers fall in northern Gaza
- Hamas showing flexibility in ceasefire talks: Haniyeh
- UK-based broadcast journalists demand 'unfettered access' to Gaza
- IRGC-linked Iranian hackers use fake 'Bring Them Home' site for phishing: Mandiant
- Hamas knows international cost of unified post-war Gaza government: Palestinian FM
Fire exchanges between the Israeli army and Hezbollah intensified in recent weeks, resulting in casualties on both sides, as the powerful militant organization vowed to continue attacking Israel until the Gaza war ends.
In the Red Sea, a rocket was sighted on the starboard side of a merchant ship off the Houthi-controlled Al Hudaydah, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.
U.S. aircraft and a coalition "warship" shot down multiple Houthi assets in the Red Sea that originated from Houthi-held areas of Yemen, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
Back in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army continued to operate in Khan Yunis. It is southern Gaza's main city and the known hometown of Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' most senior leader in the enclave. Khan Yunis is located near Rafah, the overcrowded city that the IDF is preparing to enter in a ground operation – but not without international opposition.
Despite international pressure to reach a ceasefire deal with Hamas in light of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has been working since the war started to block pressure "designed to end the war prematurely."
Netanyahu's steadfastness regarding the fighting draws from decades of violence in the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict that has made Israeli and Palestinian civilians alike pay a deadly price.
The live update has ended.
Hamas understands why it can't be part of post-war Gaza government: FM
Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki said Wednesday he believes Hamas knows it can't be part of a new government for Gaza and Palestinian territories after the war ends.
"The time now is not for a government where Hamas will be part of it, because, in this case, then it will be boycotted by a number of countries, as happened before," he said. Al-Maliki said Palestinians don't want to be shut out by the international community. "We want to be accepted and engaging fully" with the rest of the world, he said.
Read the full story here.
Iranian hackers deployed fake 'Bring Them Home' site for phishing: Cybersecurity firm
Iranian actor UNC1549, "a threat actor that has been publicly linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)," launched a fake website covering under the "Bring Them Home" movement that calls for the immediate release of hostages in Hamas captivity, cybersecurity firm Mandiant revealed Tuesday.
Among the methods utilized were "spear-phishing emails or social media correspondence, disseminating links to fake websites containing Israel-Hamas related content or fake job offers," as per the report.
The report noted that the fake job offers were "for tech and defense-related positions," more specifically on the aerospace, aviation or thermal imaging industries.
This comes amid increasing desperation among the loved ones of some 130 remaining hostages in Gaza. They have been staging multiple protests across Israel, calling for more action on the release of the abductees.
Dozens of UK-based broadcast journalist demand open access to Gaza
More than 50 Britain-based broadcast journalists have sent an open letter to the Egyptian and Israeli embassies, requesting for "free and unfettered access" to the Gaza Strip.
They said all foreign media should be allowed open access to the enclave, calling on Israel to publicly state its permission for international journalists to cover the situation in Gaza.
Read the full story here.
Hamas showing flexibility in truce talks: Leader
Hamas chief of the political bureau Ismail Haniyeh said the terror group is displaying "flexibility in negotiations" for a ceasefire-hostage deal, but it was also prepared to continue fighting, as per a Google translation of a Sky News Arabia report.
His remarks came amid U.S. optimism for a truce agreement to be reached sometime soon as the Muslim month of Ramadan draws near.
2 Givati Brigade officers killed in northern Gaza: IDF
The Israeli army lost two officers from the Givati Brigade's "Zabar" Battalion in battles in the northern Gaza Strip Tuesday, the IDF announced Wednesday on its tribute page for fallen fighters since the war started.
- Maj. Yeftah Shahar, 25 – company commander
- Capt. Itay Seif, 24 – platoon commander
Baruch Dayan HaEmet
— Vivid.🇮🇱 (@VividProwess) February 28, 2024
Two Israel Defense Force soldiers fell in battle in the Gaza Strip.
🕯️Major Yeftah Shahar, 25
🕯️Captain Itay Seif, 24
May their memories be forever a blessing. pic.twitter.com/AFjL7JATCQ
160 food and medical packages airdropped into southern Gaza
A total of 160 packages of food and medical equipment were airdropped into southern Gaza and Jordan's field hospital in Khan Yunis Tuesday, the IDF wrote on X Wednesday.
The airdropping operation was conducted through collaboration between Israel, the U.S., Jordan, France, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
160 packages of food and medical equipment were airdropped into southern Gaza and the Jordanian field hospital in Khan Yunis. This was part of international cooperation between Israel, the USA, the UAE, Jordan, Egypt and France.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 28, 2024
The move was carried out with the International… pic.twitter.com/tEpJKJ8Kex
US Senators raise concerns about Yemen strategy
Democratic and Republican senators on Tuesday's Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Middle East subcommittee hearing on the Red Sea crisis raised concerns about the White House's strategy in addressing Houthi aggression in the Red Sea.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said he opposes "the U.S. involvement in the Yemen war" and while he supported the Biden administration's Operation Prosperity Guardian, he believes the U.S. strikes targeting Houthi assets in Yemen were carried out "without Congressional authorization."
He said the U.S. needs to recognize there is a "real risk of escalation in the Red Sea" even if the Houthis pose a threat to shipping activities in the area.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said he was worried about the possible impact of U.S. strikes, adding that Washington can "re-establish deterrence" after a ceasefire-hostage deal in Gaza is achieved.
Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., said he has not seen that the Biden administration demonstrated a "strategy" toward responding to Houthi attacks that are based on "appropriate legal doctrine."
Failed bombing kills militant in southeastern Iran: Iranian media
A roadside bombing in southeastern Iran failed Wednesday after the bomb exploded prematurely, the Iranian government's semi-official Tasnim reported, citing a provincial public prosecutor. The incident, which killed one of two militants, was described as a "terror plot."
Authorities have yet to identify to which faction the militants belonged.
Hezbollah may end Israel attacks if Hamas agrees to new truce deal: Report
Hezbollah, which has sworn solidarity with Palestinians, is expected to end its attacks against Israel if Hamas agrees to a proposed ceasefire agreement with Israel, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing two sources familiar with Hezbollah's thinking.
"The moment Hamas announces its approval of the truce, and the moment the truce is declared, Hezbollah will adhere to the truce and will stop operations in the south immediately, as happened the previous time," one source said.
Hezbollah halted its attacks toward northern Israel during a seven-day truce between Israel and Hamas that led to the release of some 100 hostages from Gaza.
Netanyahu says war shouldn't end 'prematurely'
Following U.S. President Joe Biden's comments regarding a temporary halt in the Israel-Hamas war potentially paving the way for a "change" in the dynamics of Middle East geopolitics, the Israeli prime minister seemed to reiterate that the war shouldn't end "prematurely."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) February 27, 2024
"Since the start of the war, I have been leading a diplomatic campaign to block pressure designed to end the war prematurely, and to secure strong support for Israel.
Netanyahu said he has been leading "a diplomatic campaign to block pressure designed to end the war prematurely," and to secure the support that Israel needs to achieve its war goals.
Biden and Netanyahu's comments in recent weeks have signaled a widening divide on how the U.S. and Israel views the fighting. Washington, which has been a staunch ally of Israel since Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre, appears to be getting frustrated with the Netanyahu government's strategy.
Khan Yunis operations in full swing: IDF
Israeli ground troops continue to operate west of Khan Yunis, which is near Rafah in southern Gaza, the IDF said in an operational update.
Among the encounters during Wednesday's operations were "close-range," the Israeli army said, adding that many terrorists were eliminated in sniper ambushes. Various weapons were also confiscated.
The operational update came amid mounting fears for the safety of civilians in Rafah, where more than a million people are believed to be sheltering as they escaped the fighting in other Gaza cities.
US, coalition battleship downs Houthi assets in Red Sea: CENTCOM
U.S. aircraft and a "coalition warship" shot down five Houthi one-way attack (OWA) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the Red Sea that were "originating from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen."
Feb. 27 Red Sea Update
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 28, 2024
On Feb. 27, between the hours of 9:50p.m. and 10:55 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. aircraft and a coalition warship shot down five Iranian-backed Houthi one-way attack (OWA) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in the Red Sea.
CENTCOM forces identified these UAVs… pic.twitter.com/c5Qm13GvhV
The Iranian-backed Yemeni rebel militia, which says its attacks were a show of support for Palestinians, has been on a rampage in the Red and Arabian Seas and the Gulf of Aden since November. Its first attack was the hijacking of the Galaxy Leader, whose 25-man crew remains in Houthi captivity months after the attack.
Merchant ship attacked off Yemen: UKMTO
A commercial vessel reported Tuesday night that a rocket was sighted "on the starboard side of the vessel which then exploded" some three to five nautical miles from the ship's port bow," UKMTO said early Wednesday Sana'a time.
The incident happened around 60 nautical miles west of Al Hudaydah in Yemen, a Houthi-controlled area in the country. The crew and ship are safe and authorities are investigating the incident.
UKMTO WARNING INCIDENT 042 UPDATE 001
— United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) (@UK_MTO) February 27, 2024
ATTACKhttps://t.co/auxAKdReZU#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/giRIG8iQnn
Hezbollah claims attack on IDF 210th Division HQ
Hezbollah early on Wednesday claimed that it attacked the headquarters of the Israeli army's 210th Division in the annexed Golan Heights.
This comes following an earlier claim by the Iranian-backed militant group that it attacked the IDF's 146th Division base.
Hamas says it fired missile barrage toward 2 Israeli army sites
Hamas on Wednesday claimed that it fired 40 missiles toward two sites belonging to the Israeli army, Sky News in Arabic reported, citing a Telegram statement by the Palestinian militant group's military wing.
The announcement comes after weeks of seeming silence from the terror group as no siren alerts in southern Israel were not as frequent as the first weeks of fighting in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli army has yet to deny or confirm the report, but it announced Wednesday the deaths of two IDF officers.
Hamas reportedly said the latest attacks were "a response" to Israel's military operations in Gaza and the assassination of a top Hamas leader in Beirut, as per a Google translation.
Hamas number two Saleh al-Arouri was assassinated in a strike in a Hezbollah stronghold in Lebanon early last month. Hamas and its Lebanon-based ally, Hezbollah, blamed the strike on Israel.
