The Times of Israel is liveblogging Tuesday’s events as they happen.
CENTCOM confirms Houthis targeted US ship in Red Sea
The US Central Command says early Tuesday that Yemen’s Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles from Houthi-controlled areas into the Red Sea toward merchant vessel Pinocchio, adding that there are no injuries or damage reported.
Yemen’s Houthis threaten to ramp up attacks on ships during Ramadan
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis targeted what was described as the “US ship Pinocchio” in the Red Sea, according to a speech of the group’s military spokesman Yahya Sarea that is televised early Tuesday.
The group will escalate their operations in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza war, Sarea says in the speech.
Prayers at Temple Mount on 2nd night of Ramadan end without incident
Ramadan prayers at the Temple Mount passed without incident this evening, following scuffles between worshippers and Israeli police during the start of the Muslim holy month a night earlier.
Yemen’s government says at least 11 killed in US-British strikes against Houthis
ADEN, Yemen — Airstrikes attributed to a US-British coalition hit port cities and small towns in western Yemen, killing at least 11 people and injuring 14 while defending commercial shipping, a spokesperson for Yemen’s internationally recognized government tells Reuters.
At least 17 airstrikes are reported in the country, including in the principal port city of Hodeidah and at Ras Issa Port, according to Al Masirah, the main Houthi-run television news outlet.
The strikes come just days after the first civilian fatalities and vessel loss since the Iran-aligned Houthis began attacking commercial shipping in November in solidarity with the Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war. The strikes also coincide with the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, a period of fasting for Muslims.
Despite reprisals from the US-British coalition and other navies, the Houthis have escalated their campaign of attacks on commercial vessels in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
The Houthis killed three crew of the Barbados-flagged, Greek-operated True Confidence on Wednesday in an attack off the port of Aden.
That came days after the sinking of the cargo ship Rubymar, which went down about two weeks after being hit by a Houthi missile on February 18.
Many ships are now making the longer, more expensive trip around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope to avoid the dangerous route through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea to the Suez Canal — sharply raising shipping costs.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Biden says no plans to address Knesset amid deepening public spat with Netanyahu
US President Joe Biden tells reporters he does not have any plans to address the Knesset, after saying over the weekend that he might take that step in order to directly appeal to the Israeli public regarding his concerns over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s prosecution of the war in Gaza.
After telling MSNBC that he might take the far-reaching step, he declined to provide any additional information.
Earlier today, a member of the White House pool asked him if he has plans to address the Knesset, and he responded, “No, not at this moment.”
Asked whether he has scheduled a meeting with Netanyahu, who he last spoke with roughly two weeks ago, Biden responded, “no.”
Pressed whether he plans to schedule such a meeting, Biden adds, “We’ll see what happens.”
Biden regularly takes questions from the White House pool while traveling to and from events. Over the past several months, a wildly disproportionate number of questions have been about Israel.
In the footage aired by MSNBC of its interview with Biden, nearly eight of the ten minutes were of questions regarding Israel.
"Have you scheduled your 'come to Jesus' meeting with Bibi Netanyahu?"
BIDEN: "No."
"Do you plan to, sir?"
BIDEN: "We'll see what happens."
"Do you plan to address the Israeli Parliament?"
BIDEN: "No, not at this moment." pic.twitter.com/SKjSCCJf3s— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) March 11, 2024
IDF confirms striking deep in Lebanon, says it targeted Hezbollah air defense sites
The Israel Defense Forces confirms it has carried out strikes deep in Lebanon, saying fighter jets hit a pair of sites used by Hezbollah.
According to an IDF statement, the strikes targeted facilities belonging to Hezbollah’s air defense unit and were in response to the Lebanese terror group’s recent launching explosives-laden drones toward the Golan Heights.
מטוסי קרב תקפו לפני זמן קצר שני מתחמים של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה במרחב הבקעא שבעומק לבנון. המתחמים משויכים לכוח האווירי של חיזבאללה שתכנן והוציא לפועל מתווים שונים אל עבר שטח מדינת ישראל.
התקיפות בוצעו בתגובה להפעלת כלי טיס של חיזבאללה לעבר רמת הגולן במהלך הימים האחרונים pic.twitter.com/rPMC4KZsbE
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) March 11, 2024
Group of former senior officials warns Gaza aid crisis threatening Israel’s ‘vital interests’
A group representing 550 former Israeli senior officials has penned a letter to the war cabinet warning of “cumulative damage to Israel’s security and strategic interests caused by the government’s policy on humanitarian aid for over two million Gaza non-combatants.”
“Beyond the moral aspects, the crisis in the Gaza Strip, which is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster, poses a threat to vital national interests,” states the letter penned by Commanders for Israel’s Security, which lobbies for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“The government must revamp its approach to this issue: stop quarreling with friends and others over every delivery of assistance, significantly expand aid quantity, its transportation and the number of dedicated crossings, while ensuring safe distribution to the two million non-combatants,” Commanders for Israel’s Security states.
“The damage caused by the policy of humanitarian stinginess, like that of outrageous statements of irresponsible ministers and MKs, undermines the foundations of security and diplomatic support for Israel emanating from capitals that are most important for our security.”
“We urge you all to restrain the extremist firebrands, prioritize Israel’s security and strategic interests over coalition considerations, and urgently lead extensive humanitarian aid efforts, before the IDF freedom to operate in the Strip, Israel’s freedom to shape the Strip’s future, and our relations with the US, Arab peace partners, Europe and the international community suffer irreparable damage,” the letter adds.