US troops head to region as fears grow of Gaza war’s spread
Troop reinforcements from Israel’s ally the US headed to the region yesterday, with fears of wider war growing more than six months into Israel’s battle against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
After pulling forces from the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis one week ago, Israel’s military said yesterday it was continuing to operate against militants in central Gaza.
In central Gaza’s main city of Deir alBalah, fire burned in the rubble of a destroyed mosque.
The military said it had struck more than 30 militant targets across the Palestinian territory over the previous day.
Airlines said they are avoiding Iranian airspace, nearly two weeks after a strike, which Iran blamed on its arch foe Israel, destroyed Tehran’s consular annex at its embassy in Damascus, Syria.
Violence involving Iran-backed groups around the Middle East, including in Lebanon, Yemen and Syria, has increased since Israeli forces began their retaliation against Hamas militants in Gaza for their October 7 attack on Israel.
Yesterday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seized a container ship “related to the Zionist regime (Israel) in the Gulf,” state media reported.
“A container ship named MCS Aries was seized by the Sepah (Guards) Navy Special Forces by carrying out a heliborne operation,” IRNA state news agency reported.
Tensions have also flared in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where settler attacks left at least one Palestinian dead and dozens injured. A missing Israeli teenager was also found dead in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a “heinous murder”.
As talks for a Gaza truce and hostage release dragged on, the region braced for the retaliation which Iran has vowed after the consular strike whose victims included two generals.
After Iran’s retaliation threats, Israel said it was strengthening air defences and paused leave for combat units.
US President Joe Biden sent the head of US Central Command, General Michael
Kurilla, to Israel for talks. After meeting Kurilla on Friday, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel and the US stood “shoulder to shoulder”, despite differences over the conduct of the Gaza war.
“Our enemies think that they can pull apart Israel and the US, but the opposite is true − they are bringing us together and strengthening our ties,” Gallant said.