Live Updates: Houthis claim responsibility for Tel Aviv drone strike

Friday, July 19, 2024

06:21 GMT — Houthis claim responsibility for Tel Aviv drone strike

Yemen’s Houthi group has claimed responsibility for a drone strike on Tel Aviv that injured at least 10 people and killed one, according to authorities.

The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation reported that “a bomb-laden drone exploded at the intersection of Shalom Aleichem and Ben Yehuda Streets in Tel Aviv, hundreds of meters away from the American Embassy.”

The Israeli army spokesman stated that “the explosion occurred in the early morning hours on Friday in Tel Aviv due to an aerial attack.”

05:43 GMT — UN court opinion due on occupied Palestinian land

The UN's top court will hand down its view on the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967, amid growing international pressure over Israel's war on Gaza.

Any opinion delivered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) would be non-binding, but it comes amid mounting concern over Israel's war on Gaza.

A separate high-profile case brought before the court by South Africa alleges that Israel has committed genocidal acts during its brutal Gaza offensive.

Judges will read their findings at 1300 GMT at the opulent Peace Palace in The Hague, the home of the ICJ.

04:46 GMT — 2 more Hezbollah militants killed in border clashes with Israel

Two more Hezbollah militants were killed in clashes with Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, the group has announced.

It identified the militants as senior Radwan Force commander Ali Jaafar Maatuk, 51, also known as “Habib Maatuk,” and Hasan Ali Muhanna, 40, also known as "Abu Hadi.” It did not provide any details about the circumstances of their deaths, however.

At least 372 Hezbollah members have been killed since the outbreak of cross-border clashes with the Israeli army on Oct. 8, 2023, according to an Anadolu tally.

04:30 GMT — US destroys 2 Houthi missiles, 4 UAVs in Yemen

The US military destroyed two surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and four uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) on the ground in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, US Central Command (CENTCOM) has said.

"It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition forces and merchant vessels in the region," CENTCOM wrote on X.

"These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure," it added.

The Houthis have been targeting Israeli-linked cargo ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in solidarity with Gaza, which has been under an Israeli onslaught since Oct. 7 last year.

04:05 GMT — New health crisis in Gaza as poliovirus found in sewage

A new health crisis unfolded in besieged Gaza with the detection of poliovirus in sewage, the Gaza Health Ministry revealed.

A ministry statement noted that "tests on sewage samples, conducted in coordination with UNICEF, confirmed the presence of the poliovirus."

The statement added that the presence of the virus in sewage, which flows through areas with displaced persons and residential zones due to infrastructure destruction, "represents a new health crisis."

03:00 GMT — Israel kills 5 in Gaza air strikes

Israel has killed five Palestinians and wounded others after bombing a home in the Al-Bureij camp in central Gaza, the civil defence agency reported.

The air strike targeted the home of the Abu Hasna family, claiming the lives of five people and wounding others, the agency added.

The attack also destroyed the house and inflicted significant damage on nearby buildings, witnesses told Anadolu Agency.

For our live updates from Thursday, July 18, 2024, click here.