Above, te guided missile destroyer USS Carney patrols the waters of the Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch. The Pentagon said on Sunday that the USS Carney had come under attack in the Red Sea. © FELIX GARZA/US NAVY/AFP via Getty ImagesThe Pentagon on Sunday announced that attacks had been carried out on a United States warship as well as commercial vessels stationed in the Middle East, which could be a significant escalation in the ongoing war in the region.
"We're aware of reports regarding attacks on the USS Carney and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and will provide information as it becomes available," the Pentagon told Newsweek. The news was first reported by the Associated Press.
The U.S. has strongly backed its longtime ally Israel in the aftermath of an October 7 attack carried out by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which left some 1,200 dead.
Israel's government declared war on Hamas, which is backed by Iran, and has bombarded Gaza, which the group governs, while also cutting off fuel, food and electricity to the densely populated area. More than 15,000 Palestinians have died since the bombing began. READ MORE...
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A four-day pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip began Friday as Hamas released 24 hostages (13 Israeli women and children, 10 Thai nationals, and one Filipino citizen) while Israel released 39 Palestinian women and children detainees. The exchange is part of a short-term cease-fire deal brokered by Qatar and marks the first time fighting has temporarily halted between the two sides since Hamas captured more than 240 people during a surprise cross-border attack seven weeks ago.
During the duration of the pause, Hamas is set to free at least 50 hostages in exchange for the release of at least 150 Palestinians held in Israel's prisons. Israel has said the truce could be extended for an extra day for every 10 hostages released. At least 137 trucks carrying aid and fuel also entered Gaza Friday through the Rafah crossing as part of the agreement, with UN officials calling the humanitarian convoy the biggest since Hamas' Oct. 7 raid.
G7 foreign ministers on Wednesday called for humanitarian pauses in the Israel-Hamas conflict to allow in aid and help the release of hostages, and sought a return to a broader peace process.
Ending a two-day meeting in Tokyo as Israeli forces continued to pound the Gaza Strip, the Group of Seven wealthy nations said in a joint statement that Israel had the right to defend itself. But they also underscored the need to protect civilians and to comply with international humanitarian law.
G7 members are committed to preparing long-term solutions for Gaza and a return to a broader peace process in the Israel-Palestinian conflict “in line with the internationally agreed parameters,” the statement said. READ MORE...
