KEY POINTS
- US aid package for Israel and Red Sea unveiled
- Israel's Itamar Ben-Gvir draws ire for criticism of U.S. President Joe Biden
- Desperation soars in Israel, prompting protests against Gaza aid
Tensions in the Middle East have escalated to a more concerning level on the 122nd day of the war in Gaza. The United States has warned that it intends to conduct more strikes on Iranian-backed militias, while in Israel, families of abductees anxiously wait for Hamas' response to a ceasefire proposal that has the potential to secure the release of more hostages.
U.S. forces struck Houthi anti-ship and land attack missiles in Yemen on Sunday, just a day after Washington and Britain launched joint strikes against the Iran-backed group, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
- At least 6 Kurdish fighters killed in drone strike in Syria by Iraqi armed groups: Reports
- 8 rockets fired from Lebanon toward Upper Galilee: Local media
- Russia to summon Israeli ambassador: State media
- Houthi official warns Italy against participating in EU's Red Sea taskforce
- Blinken to visit Middle East in fifth trip to region since Oct. 7
- EU's Borrell urges countries to rethink defunding embattled UNRWA
- 40 Houthis killed in joint US-UK strikes: Arab media
- 'Intensive flight' of US aircraft over Al-Oman oil field in Syria: Arab report
Hamas, which triggered the war in Gaza when it murdered 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals and abducted some 240 hostages during its Oct. 7 invasion of Israel, is expected to announce its decision regarding a truce proposal that could see the freedom of some 130 hostages still being held in Gaza.
Iran, which supports Hamas, Yemeni Houthi rebels, and other militias that have been attacking Israel and U.S. military assets since the war started, on Sunday said the U.S. and U.K. should not "test the wrath of the region."
In the fiery Israeli-Lebanese border, Hezbollah, just one of the many paramilitary groups backed by Iran, claimed to have attacked eight assets of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Back in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which is in hot water amid allegations that some of its employees were directly involved in Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre, should be "replaced."
Israel's hardened stance over the Hamas issue stems from the prolonged, violent history of the Israel-Palestine conflict that has drawn attacks toward Israel from Hamas allies and other pro-Iran militias.
Over 1,350 arrested wanted persons associated with Hamas: IDF
More than 3,000 wanted individuals have been arrested across Judea, Samaria and the Beqaa and valleys area since the war started, the IDF said Monday. Of the said number, over 1,350 have links to Hamas, the Israeli army added.
'Intensive flight' of US aircraft over Al-Omar oil field: Arab media
There is "intensive flight of American aircraft" over the Al-Omar oil field base and some areas in eastern Syria Monday, Sky News Arabia reported.
The oil field was the reported subject of a drone strike by Iraqi armed factions earlier in the day, wherein at least six U.S.-backed Kurdish troops were reportedly killed.
Hamas expected to provide 'positive' signal in truce deal talks: Lebanese media
Hamas is expected to signal a "positive" direction in talks that could lead to a new ceasefire deal for the release of remaining hostages in Gaza, the Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper reported Monday.
The newspaper said Hamas leaders are headed to Cairo for discussions "before the written response" is delivered to Egyptian mediators, as per Palestinian sources.
The "general framework" that Hamas wants is focused on "a clear and direct reference to a comprehensive ceasefire in the Gaza Strip," as per a Google translation of the report.
40 Houthis killed in US-UK strikes: Arab media
A total of 40 Houthi combatants were killed in joint U.S.-UK strikes in the past two days, Sky News Arabia reported Monday, citing Yemeni sources.
The Iranian-backed rebel militia has yet to confirm the supposed death toll.
EU's top foreign affairs diplomat says defunding UNRWA 'disproportionate'
Josep Borrell, the European Union's foreign policy chief, on Sunday wrote in a blog post that "emotions prompting suspensions of funding are understandable," but that politicians should "look beyond emotions" and consider the consequences of defunding the UNRWA.
"Defunding UNRWA would be both disproportionate and dangerous," he wrote, adding that he has invited UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini to attend next week's Foreign Affairs Council to provide a debriefing on allegations regarding some UNRWA employees directly participating in the Oct. 7 massacre by Hamas in Israel.
He said an investigation into the accusations I underway and he has received assurance of the United Nations' Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that the UN was "giving the issue the importance it deserves."
Fighting ensues in central Gaza: IDF
Fighting in central Gaza continues as Israeli troops identify combat teams identify terror groups in the area, the IDF said Monday. During operations "a squad of five terrorists" was eliminated, the Israeli army said.
במרכז הרצועה חולייה של חמישה מחבלים זוהתה באיזור בו פועלים לוחמי צוות הקרב של חטיבת הנח״ל. בפעילות משותפת של הכוחות הקרקעיים, מכלול האש החטיבתי, כלי טיס, כלי שיט וטנקים, חוסלו המחבלים תוך זמן קצר>> pic.twitter.com/c809YnIr7g
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) February 5, 2024
Blinken to visit Middle East again in truce push
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit the Middle East again this week as part of the Biden administration's efforts to push for a new ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, marking his fifth trip to the region since the war started.
Read the full story here.
Italy will become a target if it participates in Yemen strikes: Senior Houthi official
Mohamed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the rebel Houthis' supreme revolutionary committee, told local La Repubblica in an interview published Monday that "Italy will be a target" if it participates in attacks toward Yemen, further noting that the Italian government should take on a neutral stance in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
His comments came after Italy announced late last week that it will provide an admiral in command for the European Union's own maritime taskforce in the Red Sea as part of international efforts to deter Houthi attacks against commercial shipping activities in the area.
Russia to summon Israel's envoy over 'unacceptable comments'
Russia will summon Israel's ambassador to the country, Simona Halperin, over some "unacceptable comments" she made in a recent interview, state-run TASS news agency reported, citing the Russian foreign ministry.
The ministry reportedly said Halperin made an "extremely unsuccessful start" to her role as an envoy, which started in December, when she criticized Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov for downplaying the Holocaust.
Israeli national security minister in hot water over Biden-Trump comparison
Ben-Gvir has drawn criticism other top Israeli officials following a Wall Street Journal interview wherein he compared Biden's handling of the war in Gaza to what ex-president Donald Trump would have done if he were still the U.S. president.
"Instead of giving us his full backing, Biden is busy with giving humanitarian aid and fuel [to Gaza], which goes to Hamas," he told the outlet, adding that "if Trump was in power, the U.S. conduct would be completely different."
War cabinet minister Benny Gantz took to X to express his dismay over his fellow minister's "irresponsible statements in the media." He said Netanyahu should "call to order" Ben-Gvir, who, "instead of dealing with internal security issues – is causing tremendous damage to Israel's foreign relations."
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid also took to X, slamming Ben-Gvir's remarks, describing them as "a direct attack on Israel's international status, a direct attack on the war effort." He echoed Gantz's call, requesting that Netanyahu "restrain" the far-right extremist politician.
US Senate unveils bipartisan bill that includes Israel, Red Sea aid
The U.S. Senate on Sunday revealed the text of a $118 billion bipartisan bill that would include aid for Israel and Ukraine, but the bill has already been met with GOP opposition.
The bill includes $14.1 billion in security assistance to Israel and $60 billion for Ukraine, as per a summary released by Senate Appropriations Committee chair Patty Murray. It also includes $2.44 billion in support for CENTCOM amid the security crisis in the Red Sea.
Read the full story here.
Rockets fired from Lebanon: Local media
Eight rockets were fired from Lebanese territory toward the Upper Galilee area in northern Israel Monday morning, local media reported. Rocket sirens sounded earlier in the day as Iranian-backed Hezbollah continues to threaten stability in Israel's border with Lebanon.
🔴Eight rockets were fired from Lebanon toward Upper Galilee in northern Israel https://t.co/LIKuSmYzqD
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) February 5, 2024
It's time to 'replace' UNRWA: Netanyahu
The Israeli prime minister on Sunday recommended the replacement of UNRWA following allegations that some of the humanitarian agency's employees directly participated in Hamas' atrocities against Israelis during their Oct. 7 raid.
Netanyahu said Israel's exposé about the involvement of some UNRWA employees in Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre "only strengthens what we have known for a long time – that UNRWA is not part of the solution, it is part of the problem," as per a statement from the prime minister's office.
"The time has come to begin the process of replacing UNRWA with other bodies that are not tainted by support for terrorism," he said.
We have recently exposed to the world that UNRWA is collaborating with Hamas and that some of its people even participated in the atrocities and abductions of October 7.
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) February 4, 2024
This only strengthens what we have known for a long time – that UNRWA is not part of the solution, it is part of the problem. The time has come to begin the process of replacing UNRWA with other bodies that are not tainted by support for terrorism.
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) February 4, 2024
Hezbollah claims attacks on 8 IDF assets
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Sunday claimed that the Lebanon-based terror group attacked eight Israeli army assets, including three "sites" in the disputed Shebaa Farms and the Khirbet Maar base in western Galilee.
Nasrallah said the IDF's Biranit Barracks, which is the headquarters of the Israeli army's Galilee Division, was "directly" hit by two Falaq 1 missiles – missiles of Iranian origin.
The IDF has yet to confirm Hezbollah's claims.
Do not test the 'wrath of the region': Iranian FM
Iran's foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Sunday warned the U.S. and the UK following the allies' fresh joint strikes in Yemen and U.S. strikes in Iraq and Syria late last week that targeted Iranian-backed groups.
"Continuation of war is not the solution. [You] do not [want to] test the wrath of the region," he wrote on X. He said Iran considers the security of the said countries, as well as in Gaza, "to be the security of the region."
We strongly condemn the US and British military attacks on Yemen and the US aggression on Iraq and Syria. In my meeting with the UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron, I clearly said, ‘Continuation of war is not the solution.’ [You] do not [want to] test the wrath of the region. We…
— H.Amirabdollahian امیرعبداللهیان (@Amirabdolahian) February 4, 2024
US intends to conduct more strikes against Iran-backed militias: Sullivan
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Sunday said the U.S. plans to carry out more strikes on Iranian-backed groups in the region following joint strikes with the UK on Saturday.
"We intend to take additional strikes and additional action to continue to send a clear message that the United States will respond when our forces are attacked or our people are killed," he said.
Sullivan's comments came following the killing of three U.S. servicemen in Jordan in a drone attack at Tower 22 that Washington has blamed on Tehran and paramilitary groups in the Middle East backed by Iran.
He noted that recent strikes in Yemen, Syria, and Iraq are "not the end" of the Biden administration's ongoing military response to the American troops' killing.
Read the full story here.
Iraqi militias launch drone attack on US-backed Kurdish forces in Syria: Reports
Iraqi armed factions early on Monday attacked the Al-Omar oilfield base "inside Syrian territory," multiple outlets reported, citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
There are some reports that at least 6 members of the Syrian Democratic Forces, which is composed of US-backed Kurdish forces, were killed in the attack.
Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the UK-based Syrian Observatory, said around 20 were wounded "by a drone attack after midnight on Al-Omar oil field," as per the Times of Israel. Two local sources reportedly said the drone was launched from Deir al-Zor, an area in Syria that is under the Syrian government's control.
US strikes Houthi missiles in 'self-defense': CENTCOM
As part of the actions the U.S. has taken in "self-defense" over attacks in the Red Sea, U.S. forces conducted strikes against a Houthi land attack cruise missile and four anti-ship cruise missiles Sunday, CENTCOM announced early Monday local time.
The missiles were located "in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen," and the four anti-ship cruise missiles were "prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea," the U.S. military said.
The latest strikes came just a day after the Washington and London launched joint strikes in Yemen, targeting dozens of Houthi militia assets as the Iranian-backed rebel group continues to go on a rampage in the Red Sea.
Read the full story here.
