The Houthi rebels continue to defy US attacks, launching missiles at a US-owned commercial ship just hours after a new round of military strikes against the Iran-backed group in Yemen. This marks the third such attack this week, with no injuries or damage reported. Houthi spokesman Mohammad Abdul Salam criticized the US-led strikes as “persistent acts of aggression” aimed at protecting Israel, vowing that the group will not be deterred from launching attacks against vessels they claim are “linked to Israel.” Though President Joe Biden acknowledged that US strikes are not deterring Houthi attacks, he stated that US attacks will continue.
In other news, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the creation of a Palestinian state, stating that it would conflict with Israel’s security. This led to US officials stating that they would continue to press the issue with their Israeli counterparts, despite Netanyahu’s remarks. Additionally, Israeli forces damaged a cemetery in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, exhuming and removing bodies in a search for hostages taken by Hamas during terrorist attacks on October 7.
Gaza has also faced a near-total communications blackout for a week, with no signs of abating, significantly impacting the ability of agencies to operate. Mexico and Chile have requested the International Criminal Court to investigate potential crimes committed in the Palestinian territories. The death toll in Gaza has risen, with at least 24,620 people killed and 61,830 wounded in Israeli attacks since October 7, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. It’s important to note that these numbers have not been independently verified by CNN.