Yemen’s Houthi rebels carried out one of their barrages of drones and missiles, targeting shipping in the Red Sea. The attack triggered a response from the American and British navies, leading to the successful interception and shooting down of the projectiles. There are no reported damages or injuries resulting from the incident at this time.
The Associated Press reported that the Red Sea assault occurred despite a planned UN Security Council vote later on Wednesday, aiming to potentially condemn and demand an immediate halt to the rebels’ attacks. The Houthi rebels claim that their assaults are in response to Israel’s actions against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
In an overnight Israeli assault, dozens of Palestinians were killed, including 15 members of a single family in Rafah city, a region designated as a supposed “safe zone” by Israeli authorities. The death toll in Gaza from Israeli attacks since 7 October has now surged to 23,357, with over 59,410 reported wounded.
Simultaneously, Israeli forces launched raids in the occupied West Bank, facing resistance from Palestinian fighters who employed explosive devices and gunfire. The tension has spilled onto the streets, as a few dozen protesters gathered to denounce the meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.
Outside the meeting venue, demonstrators held signs reading “Stop the genocide,” “Free Palestine,” and “Blinken out.” Palestinian activist Joharah Baker criticised the welcoming of any US representative, especially Blinken, linking him to the atrocities against Palestinians.
Meanwhile, public hearings in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel are set to commence at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday. Pro-Palestine campaigners hope that the World Court will intervene to halt Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. This case, the first at the ICJ related to the Gaza Strip siege, accuses Israel of genocide and violating the 1948 UN Genocide Convention, to which both countries are parties.
Blinken’s visit to Ramallah aims to discuss the future of post-war Gaza, but it has sparked protests in the West Bank, with demonstrators expressing discontent and accusing him of complicity in Israel’s attacks. Discussions between Blinken and President Abbas reportedly focused on halting Israeli aggression, accelerating humanitarian aid entry into Gaza, and addressing the danger of Israeli authorities’ measures aimed at displacing Palestinians.