Dec 18 Pentagon announces new international mission to counter attacks on commercial vessels in Red Sea By Tara Copp, Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press The seriousness of the attacks, several of which have damaged vessels, has led multiple shipping companies to order their ships to hold in place and not enter the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until the situation can be addressed. Continue reading
Dec 18 France urges Lebanese leaders to work on easing tensions along the border with Israel By Bassem Mroue, Associated Press Earlier Monday, Lebanon’s state news agency said an Israeli drone fired a missile at a building close to where the funeral of a Hezbollah fighter was being held in a southern border village, without inflicting any casualties. Continue reading
Dec 18 El-Sissi wins Egypt's presidential election with 89.6 percent of the vote, secures third term in office By Associated Press The vote was overshadowed by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza on Egypt's eastern border, which has threatened to expand into wider regional turmoil. Continue reading
Dec 18 UN Security Council to vote on resolution urging cessation of hostilities in Gaza to deliver aid By Edith M. Lederer, Associated Press Human Rights Watch accused Israel earlier Monday of deliberately starving Gaza’s population by blocking the delivery of water, food and fuel, a method of warfare that it described as a war crime. Continue reading
Dec 18 Live updates: Israel's allies call for winding down of assault in Gaza By Associated Press The U.N. Security Council has scheduled a vote Monday on an Arab-sponsored resolution calling for an urgent cessation of hostilities in Gaza and the release of all Israeli hostages held by Palestinian militants. Continue reading
Dec 18 Defense Secretary Austin expected to press Israel to wind down major combat operations in Gaza By Tara Copp, Melanie Lidman, Samy Magdy, Associated Press France, the U.K. and Germany joined global calls for a cease-fire over the weekend, and Israeli protesters have demanded the government relaunch talks with Hamas on releasing more hostages after three were mistakenly killed by Israeli troops. Continue reading
Dec 17 Discovery of major Hamas tunnel in Gaza renews scrutiny of Israeli intelligence failures By Ariel Schalit, Julia Frankel, Associated Press The Israeli military said Sunday it has discovered a large tunnel shaft in Gaza close to what was once a busy crossing into Israel, raising new questions about how Israeli surveillance missed such conspicuous preparations by Hamas for the militants' deadly Oct. Continue reading
Dec 17 Watch 3:01 News Wrap: Israeli military finds large Hamas tunnel near northern Gaza border In our news wrap Sunday, Israel re-opened a border crossing in southern Gaza and released footage of a newly discovered Hamas tunnel at the Erez crossing in the north, Trump’s anti-immigrant remarks at a campaign event drew criticism, a storm… Continue watching
Dec 17 Pressure mounts on Israel to renew cease-fire talks after killing of hostages raises alarm about its conduct in Gaza By Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy, Associated Press Israel's government faced calls for a cease-fire from some of its closest European allies and from protesters at home on Sunday after a series of shootings, including of three hostages who waved a white flag, added to mounting concerns about… Continue reading
Dec 16 Watch 2:50 News Wrap: Israeli protesters pressure government in wake of hostage deaths In our news wrap Saturday, the mistaken killing of three hostages by Israeli forces in Gaza has increased public pressure on Israel’s government to release Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the remaining hostages, a Roman Catholic cardinal was convicted of… Continue watching