As tensions increase in the Middle East, the European Union and United Nations has warned Israel against extending the Gaza War into West Bank. This warning comes after Israel carried out its biggest-ever raid of West Bank and forcibly displaced Palestinians out of the region.
Meanwhile, the Yemeni militant group Houthis have agreed to a temporary truce in the Red Sea after a Greece flagged oil tanker caught fire.
Middle East Tensions - Latest Updates
Houthis Agree To Temporary Truce
Iran-backed militant group Houthis have agreed to a temporary truce in the Red Sea to allow rescue ships to reach the Greece-flagged crude oil tanker Sounion.
Sounion has been on fire since August 23 after it was targetted by the Houthis. The tanker now appears to be leaking oil, said a Pentagon spokesman.
Iran's mission to the UN conveyed that the Yemeni militant group has agreed to deploy a truce.
"Several countries have reached out to ask Ansarullah (the Houthis), requesting a temporary truce for the entry of tugboats and rescue ships into the incident area. In consideration of humanitarian and environmental concerns, Ansarullah has consented to this request," stated Iran's UN mission.
Israel-Hamas War
West Bank Incursion - Israel has continued to carry out its largest military operation in the occupied West Bank region. Around 12 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's largest assault in the region in 20 years.
As per Israel, military officers are "targeted armed terrorists who posed a threat to security forces".
Israel has further stated that the operation in West Bank has been launched due to attempts by Iran to "establish an eastern terror front against Israel".
"The IDF has been operating since last night in the Jenin and Tulkarm refugee camps to dismantle Islamic-Iranian terror infrastructures established there," stated Foreign Minister Israel Katz.
"We must address this threat by all necessary means, including, in some cases of intense combat, allowing the population to temporarily evacuation from one neighborhood to another within the refugee camp to prevent civilian harm and to enable the dismantling of terror infrastructures established there," he added further.
As Israel continues its raid of West Bank, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has warned Tel Aviv to not extend the war. "Israel’s major military incursion into the occupied West Bank must not be the premises of a war extension from Gaza and a repeat of the full-scale destruction seen in the Palestinian enclave," stated Borell.
The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also called for an "immediate cessation" of Israel's incursion in the West Bank.
The IDF has also recovered the body of a solider who was killed on October 7, 2023. The soldier's remains were taken to Gaza by Hamas militants during the attack on southern Israel.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has paused the movements of its employees in Gaza after the organisation claimed that Israeli military opened fire on a “clearly marked” humanitarian vehicle.
52-year-old freed hostage Qaid Farhan al-Kadi called on the Israeli government to sign a ceasefire deal and to bring home the remaining 110 hostages in Hamas captivity.
Israel-Hezbollah Tensions
After Sunday's attacks, Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah announced to scale back. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah also drew his bottom line in a speech on Sunday when he announced that the operation was “over,” but reserved “the right” to strike again.
