Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received a phone call on Tuesday from U.S. President Joe Biden to discuss the latest developments in Gaza and current joint mediation efforts for calming the situation in the besieged enclave to reach a permanent ceasefire, according to a report from the Qatari State News Agency.
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Biden initiated the call, according to Reuters, trying to jump-start a new deal like the one that was closed in November between Qatar and Egypt, in which Hamas released more than 100 hostages, in exchange for a cease-fire and the release of Palestinian prisoners.
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US President Joe Biden and the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
(Photos: Reuters/ Saudi Press Agency/Handout)
Earlier on Tuesday, the White House announced that Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer would meet later in the day in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to discuss the war in the Gaza Strip and the release of the hostages held by Hamas.
Hours after the attempted terror attack on Israel's embassy in New Delhi, India, on Tuesday evening, Israel's National Security Council issued a warning that advises Israelis staying in India and New Delhi to take safety precautions. Among the recommendations are to try to avoid going to crowded places (malls, markets) and places identified as being used by Western or Jewish or Israeli people; maintain increased vigilance in public places (including restaurants, hotels and bars); avoid wearing Israeli symbols; avoid participating in large events that are not secure. In addition, Israelis shout avoid posting trip details on social media networks and posting photos and details before the trip and in real time.
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Police investigate site of explosion outside Israeli embassy in New Delhi, India
(Photo: from India Today)
The IDF spokesman said on Tuesday evening that an Israeli Air Force fighter jet earlier in the day successfully intercepted a hostile aerial target in the Red Sea region that was on its way to Israel. "The air control unit followed the target throughout the event," according to the IDF. The disclosure comes after the Houthis spokesman said that the Iran-backed rebel group in Yemen carried out drone attacks on Eilat in southern Israel and other areas in "occupied Palestine."
The Houthis also confirmed on Tuesday evening that it hit a ship in the Red Sea earlier in the day. The Houthi military spokesman said it fired missiles at and struck an MSC United commercial ship in the Red Sea after it "rejected three warning calls."
Iran's Defense Minister Esmaeil Khatib said on Tuesday that the "assassination" of Revolutionary Guards official Sayyad Reza Mousavi the previous day "is a crime that came after Israel failed to deal with the resistance, and it will bring severe consequences." The commander of the Iranian army, Abd al-Rahim Mousavi, claimed that "the assassination of Mousavi once again revealed Israel's incompetence."
Meanwhile, Malawi, a country of 21 million people in East Africa, will open an embassy in Tel Aviv next week, it was reported on Tuesday evening. The embassy of Malawi is expected to be the 99th to be established in Israel. Over the last three years, Israel has been in talks with Malawi to open an embassy in Jerusalem. Malawi's foreign minister, Eisenhower Makaka, even announced in 2021 during his visit to Israel that his country would open an embassy in Jerusalem, which ultimately did not happen.
Malawi has maintained diplomatic relations with Israel since 1964, and is one of the only three African countries that did not cut diplomatic ties with Israel after the Yom Kippur War in 1973. In the last year, three new diplomatic missions were opened in Israel: Chad, Azerbaijan and Papua New Guinea. In recent months, relations between Israel and Malawi have strengthened further and since the outbreak of the war against Hamas, hundreds of workers from Malawi in the field of agriculture have arrived in Israel, following an agreement signed between the countries.
The IDF spokesman on Tuesday evening announced the deaths of three soldiers more killed in the battles in the Gaza Strip. Master sergeant Maor Lavi, 33, from Susya, of the Bislamach Brigade’s 450th Battalion, was killed in battle central Gaza. Major Shay Shamriz, 26, from Merkaz Shapira, a company commander in the Nahal Brigade’s 931st Battalion, was killed in battle in the northern Gaza Strip. Capt. (res.) Shaul Greenglick, 26, of Raanana of the Nahal Brigade’s 931st Battalion, was killed in battle in the northern Gaza Strip. Five other soldiers and officers were seriously injured in those battles and evacuated to Israeli hospitals.
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Major Shay Shamriz, 26; Capt. (res.) Shaul Greenglick, 26; and Master sergeant Maor Lavi, 33
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
A rocket fired by Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip struck a synagogue in Kibbutz Saad in the Sdot Negev Regional Council. The rocket crashed through the roof, causing significant damage.
The Syrian Center for Monitoring Human Rights reported early Tuesday evening that Israel attacked in two areas in Syria, after movements of elements collaborating with the Iranian groups in the region were observed. According to the report, the attacks were in the area of the town of Arana west of Damascus, and near the village of Hader in Quneitra. The attacks come a day after Sayyad Reza Mousavi , a senior commander in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps was killed in an attack in Syria which is attributed to Israel.
Meanwhile, Iran's Defense Minister Esmaeil Khatib said that the "assassination" of Revolutionary Guards official Sayyad Reza Mousavi "is a crime that came after Israel failed to deal with the resistance, and it will bring severe consequences." The commander of the Iranian army, Abd al-Rahim Mousavi, claimed that "the assassination of Mousavi once again revealed Israel's incompetence."
Chief of Staff Major General Herzi Halevi made a statement at the Julis base in the southern district on the current the ground war in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday afternoon during which he said the war in Gaza will last for several more month.
"I have now left Gaza. The IDF is close to completing the dismantling of the Hamas battalions in the northern Gaza Strip. We have eliminated many commanders and terrorists and taken hundreds captive," he said. The Chief of Staff noted that "some of the terrorists are still in the field, there are no magic solutions and shortcuts to terrorism." He referred to the continuation of the fighting, and explained: "This war has goals that are necessary and not easy to achieve. It takes place in complex territory, so the war will continue for many more months."
The IDF announced Tuesday evening that one soldier was reported to be seriously injured and eight others moderately injured in the Hezbollah anti-tank missile attack on the church in the Western Galilee. The troops were at the scene to evacuate an 80-year-old civilian who was seriously injured in an initial missile attack.
The IDF also announced that the Israeli Air Force continued to attack Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in Lebanon. In addition, IDF observers identified the building to which fled the terrorist who launched the anti-tank missile at the famous church in Ikrit in the Western Galilee. The IDF attacked the building.
Footage of launch by Hezbollah from near a mosque in Lebanon
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
Iran has reversed a slowdown in the rate at which it is enriching uranium to up to 60% purity, close to weapons grade, returning to a rate of around 9 kg a month from the reduced rate of 3 kg, the International Atomic Energy Agency said on Tuesday.
The IAEA confirmed that Iran had increased the production of UF6 (uranium hexafluoride) enriched up to 60% U-235 to approximately 9 kg per month since the end of November at these two facilities combined," the UN nuclear watchdog said in a statement, referring to sites at Fordow and Natanz.
Meanwhile, a drone was downed near the Egyptian Red Sea resort city of Dahab on Tuesday, two security sources told Reuters. The sources could not confirm its origin.
Egypt's Al Qahera News TV had reported earlier that explosions were heard over Dahab. "A flying object was downed approximately 2 km from the shores of Dahab," Al Qahera said, citing witnesses.
Earlier in December, Egyptian air defenses shot down a suspected drone near Dahab, security sources had said.
The Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen have escalated attacks on shipping in the Red Sea in protest against Israel's war in Gaza.
The IDF announced on Tuesday that Staff Sergeant Daniel Nachmani, 21, of the 188th Armored Brigade and a resident of Kfar Saba, passed away due to injuries he sustained during operational activity along the northern border last week. Nachmani was mortally wounded by a rocket fired from Lebanon last Friday.
Earlier, the army reported that Staff Sergeant (res.) Elisha Yehonatan Lober, 24, a soldier of the 179th Reserve Armored Brigade's 8104th Battalion, from Yitzhar and Sergeant First Class (res.) Joseph Gitarts, 25, a soldier of the 179th Reserve Armored Brigade's 7029th Battalion, from Tel Aviv, fell in battle in the southern Gaza Strip.
Lober was killed in a clash with terrorists and Gitarts by anti-tank fire that hit his Namer armored personnel carrier.
In addition, two soldiers and an officer from the 7th Armored Brigade were injured by mortar fire in the southern Gaza Strip. Another reserve soldier was seriously wounded in combat in the northern Gaza Strip.
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Sergeant First Class (res.) Joseph Gitarts and Staff Sergeant (res.) Elisha Yehonatan Lober
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
The total number of IDF casualties in the war stands at 491, with 158 of them killed since the beginning of ground operations in Gaza.
A civilian was wounded by an anti-tank missile strike on a church near the Christian village of Iqrit in Western Galilee on Tuesday. IDF forces and first responders are attending to the victim at the scene. Following the arrival of the troops, another anti-tank missile was launched, leading to an intense firefight.
Meanwhile, an anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon hit several chicken coops in the border community of Dovev, causing extensive property damage but no casualties.
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The church in Iqrit hit by Hezbollah anti-tank fire
(Photo: Dr. Avishai Teicher/Wikipedia)
Earlier, IDF forces struck targets in Lebanon after multiple incoming threats emanating from the hostile northern neighbor, the IDF reported. Air Force fighter jets reportedly struck Hezbollah terror infrastructure in Lebanese territory, while a tank targeted and neutralized a threat from Lebanon.
Additionally, earlier in the morning, a surface-to-air missile launched from Lebanon aimed at an Air Force aircraft operating in the vicinity. The missile missed, allowing the aircraft to complete its mission successfully.
Earlier, Al Jazeera reported that six rockets were fired from Lebanon toward an IDF border outpost near Mount Dov. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack.
Two explosions in the Red Sea were reported by a vessel sailing off the coast of Yemen on Tuesday shortly after two unmanned aircraft were sighted, a British maritime authority said.
The explosions occurred around 5 miles from the vessel in an area of the Red Sea 50 miles from the port of Hodeidah on Yemen's west coast, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said in an advisory.
The identity of the vessel, details of the cargo onboard or where it was sailing to or had sailed from were not disclosed. The UKMTO said the vessel was in contact with coalition forces and that the vessel and crew had been reported safe. The vessel was said to be continuing its voyage.
The U.S. military carried out retaliatory air strikes on Monday in Iraq after a one-way drone attack earlier in the day by Iran-aligned militants that left one U.S. service member in critical condition and wounded two other U.S. personnel, officials said.
The back-and-forth clash was the latest demonstration of how the Israel-Hamas war is rippling across the Middle East, creating turmoil that has turned U.S. troops at bases in Iraq and Syria into targets. Iran-aligned groups in Iraq and Syria oppose Israel's campaign in Gaza and hold the United States partly responsible.
At President Joe Biden's direction, the U.S. military carried out the strikes in Iraq at 1:45 GMT, likely killing "a number of Kataib Hezbollah militants" and destroying multiple facilities used by the group, the U.S. military said.
"These strikes are intended to hold accountable those elements directly responsible for attacks on coalition forces in Iraq and Syria and degrade their ability to continue attacks. We will always protect our forces," said General Michael Erik Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command, in a statement.
First published: 07:46, 12.26.23