Growing fears over Israel-Hamas war spreading across Middle East

美-친이란 무장세력 세력 교전 이•팔 전쟁 중동 곳곳으로 번질 위험 ↑ Over in the Middle East. The continued attacks on Red Sea ships by Houthi militias and the U.S. strikes in Iraq are part of the latest development that’s renewing concerns of a wider conflict in that region. Our Lee Soo-jin tells us more. Fears over the Israel-Hamas war escalating into a wider Middle East conflict are growing amid Houthi attacks and U.S. strikes. The Iran-backed Houthi rebel group ---which controls a large part of Yemen ---said on Tuesday local time that it launched missiles at an MSC United vessel in the Red Sea after the crew ignored three warning calls. Houthis has been attacking Red Sea ships since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7 to both pressure Israel to end its war against Gaza and to prevent humanitarian aid from entering the Strip. In response, the Pentagon assembled an international naval coalition called “Operation Prosperity Guardian“ to protect these ships. U.S. military forces also launched multiple airstrikes at three locations within facilities in Iraq used by the Iranian-sponsored militia Kataib Hezbollah on Christmas night in response to the drone attacks being carried out against U.S. personnel that left three of its service members injured. Meanwhile, the Israeli military says it’s now preparing to shift its war operations from high-intensity fighting in Gaza, to a low-intensity, long-term military action. The move comes as Washington has been calling on Israel to ease up on its heavy bombardment of Gaza, and focus its attacks on Hamas infrastructure to limit civilian casualties. Israel Defense Forces chief Herzi Halezi said Tuesday that its military is expanding its fighting in southern and central Gaza, adding that it is close to dismantling all Hamas battalions in northern regions. He said many Hamas soldiers and commanders have surrendered, with hundreds being held prisoner. However, he warned that the fight would last for “many more months,“ saying there can be no shortcuts taken when dismantling an entire organization. “This war has necessary and not easy goals to achieve, it takes place in complex territory. Therefore the war will go on for many months and we will employ different methods to maintain our achievements for a long time.“ But the World Food Programme warns that the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip is worsening, and that the region has now entered the so-called food crisis stage as the armed conflict in Gaza nears the three-month mark. Lee Soo-jin, Arirang News. #Israel #Hamas #Strike #Houthi #UnitedStates #이스라엘 #하마스 #미국 #후티 #공격 #Arirang_News #아리랑뉴스 📣 Facebook : 📣 Twitter : 📣 Homepage : 2023-12-27, 18:00 (KST)