Fears of a broader regional conflict are growing as Israeli forces and Lebanese Hezbollah escalate attacks.
Here's what happened on Saturday, April 13, 2024:
bombardment and battle
- Dozens of Israeli airstrikes have hit central Gaza, including the Deir el-Bala area, with several casualties reported. The Israeli military said its aircraft had struck more than 60 targets in the Gaza Strip the previous day. Authorities in the enclave said a house was hit and at least 25 people were taken to hospital.
- According to the Gaza Civil Defense Force, Israeli forces bombed residential buildings in the Zarqa area of central Gaza City overnight, killing five Palestinians and injuring more than 30 others.
- Five Palestinians were injured overnight in an attack by Israeli settlers on a village northeast of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. The attack killed a 25-year-old Palestinian man and injured 25 others.
politics and diplomacy
- Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris met with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and said Ireland, Spain and other countries are “very close” to recognizing a Palestinian state. The comments came just hours after Norway announced its readiness to recognize a Palestinian state during Sanchez's visit.
- Senior Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal attended a memorial event for the family of Hamas leader Ismail Khanyar, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike, and promised to “soon defeat the enemy.” Referring to the six-month war, Meshaal said “this is not the last round” on the path to Palestinian liberation.
regional tensions
- Lebanon's Hezbollah said it fired “dozens of rockets” at Israeli artillery positions in response to an Israeli attack in southern Lebanon, the largest attack since the start of the Gaza war.
- The Israeli military said “approximately 40 shots were confirmed to have been fired over Lebanese territory,” but there were no reports of casualties. In response, the Israeli military announced that it had attacked Hezbollah military facilities in southern Lebanon.
-
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the vessel was seized by “local authorities” 50 nautical miles (92 kilometers) northeast of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. UKMTO did not specify which authority it was referring to. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) naval commander warned this week that Israel's presence in the UAE is seen as a threat by Iran, adding that it could close the Strait of Hormuz if necessary.
- Iranian state media reported that the Revolutionary Guards Navy had seized the container ship.
- According to the Wall Street Journal, amid growing concerns that Iran will launch direct attacks on Israel in response to the attack on its consulate in Syria, the United States is taking steps to protect not only Israel but its own forces in the Middle East. The warship was moved to the position of
- Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani spoke by phone with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, calling for restraint amid fears of an attack on Israel from Tehran. He said the world “cannot risk escalation” and called on all regional actors to “show responsibility”.
- Australian airline Qantas has announced that it will reroute its long-haul flights between Perth and London to avoid Iranian airspace amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
- Earlier, German airline Lufthansa announced that its aircraft would no longer use Iranian airspace as the suspension of flights to and from Tehran was extended.