Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 13-14/2024
Elias Bejjani/Text & Video): “We Are Victorious Because Our Enemy Did Not Achieve Its Goals”: A Closer Look at The Distorted Rhetoric of Political Islam: Hezbollah, Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Iranian Mullahs
Halevi warns: Lebanon will face "serious consequences" if!
Bombardment and reconnaissance flights... Here are the latest developments in the south!
Israel renews its targeting of homes in southern Lebanon, and Hezbollah responds by intensifying operations
Israel destroys a house... Here's what's happening in the western sector!
Netanyahu: We proved to the party that "every blood shedder is wasted"
Israeli airstrikes and shelling in south Lebanon amid Hezbollah attacks
UN Peacekeeping chief wraps up Lebanon leg of regional trip
Hezbollah strikes Birkat Risha site with appropriate weapons
Israeli Army conducts airstrike on Mays al-Jabal
Mikati: Talk of pacification limited to Lebanon illogical
Report: US-tasked Dutch envoy met with Hezbollah for past two weeks
War effects on Lebanese perceptions: Study reveals sectarian divide

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 13-14/2024
US strikes another Houthi site after warning ships to avoid parts of Red Sea
Yemen’s Houthis vow ‘strong response’ after new US strike
Attacks on Yemen: US and British Forces face retaliation
On 99th day of war, Gaza ministry says dozens killed in Israel strikes
Shift in strategy and political challenges: Israel enters a new phase on the 100th day of Gaza war
Europe must unite, work with Middle East partners to bring end to Gaza hostilities: EU foreign policy chief Borrell
Egypt's Ambassador: Israeli assertions are another desperate attempt to evade its responsibilities
Over 30 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza
Economic strain: Israel expels Palestinian workers
Russia says struck 'Ukrainian military-industrial complex'
Somalia ‘ready for war’ with Ethiopia over Somaliland deal
Israel pounds Gaza on 99th day of war
UN human rights official warns Security Council of ‘very real’ risk of atrocities in Gaza
Radar site in Sana’a targeted in fresh US strike against Houthi militia

Titles For The Latest English LCCC  analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on January 13-14/2024
Will the US-British Strikes Stop the Houthi Attacks on Red Sea Shipping?/Simon Henderson/Wasington Institute/January 13/2024
How How Yemen’s “Southern Hezbollah” Could Change Iran’s Deterrent Calculus/Michael Knights/Washington Institute/January 13/ 2023
Iran's Growing Ballistic Missile Threat/Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/January 13, 2024
A year of many elections, but what do they mean for democracy?/Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/January 13, 2024
The many faces and deprivations of poverty/Ehtesham Shahid/Arab News/January 13, 2024
Gaps in space law are fueling a Wild West attitude/Dr. Amal Mudallali/Arab News/January 13, 2024
Gaza war and the paralysis of the UN Security Council/Maha Akeel/Arab News/January 13, 2024

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 13-14/2024
Elias Bejjani/Text & Video): “We Are Victorious Because Our Enemy Did Not Achieve Its Goals”: A Closer Look at The Distorted Rhetoric of Political Islam: Hezbollah, Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Iranian Mullahs
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/126065/126065/
Date/January 11, 2024
The ideology-driven slogan, “We are victorious because our enemy did not achieve its goals,” has become a disturbing and pervasive rhetoric among various political Islamic groups and countries such as Hezbollah, Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Iranian Mullahs.
The catastrophic nature of these political Islam groups, rooted in Ottoman thought and the Muslim Brotherhood, is characterized by an ideology that is not only sick and harmful but also devoid of any connection to humanity, reason, or logic. It is a corrupt, delusional, and detached worldview that vehemently rejects others. Its primary and most significant goal is to subjugate and oppress anyone who opposes their beliefs. Those who resist and reject this ideology are branded as deserving death, and their countries are invaded under the banners of jihad and resistance.
One of the most dangerous slogans adopted by these criminal and terrorist groups is the absurd claim: “We have succeeded as long as the enemy has not achieved its goals.” This is proclaimed without regard for the destruction, loss of life, impoverishment, and displacement experienced by their own people and countries. The statement made by Ismail Haniyeh, as mentioned below, serves as a glaring example.
Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, echoed the same absurd and sick slogan after the 2006 war with Israel. Despite Israel destroying Lebanon, targeting its infrastructure, displacing southern residents, and causing the deaths of over 1600 Lebanese, primarily members of Hezbollah, Nasrallah emerged after the first hour of the ceasefire and declared victory, asserting that Israel had failed to achieve its goals.
Fast forward to over 97 days after the war initiated by Hamas with Israel, Gaza lies in ruins, its residents displaced, with over 30,000 lives lost and 150,000 wounded. Ismail Haniyeh, residing in Qatar’s finest hotels, claims that Hamas has succeeded because Israel did not achieve its goals.
Leaders who share the mindset of Haniyeh and Nasrallah, along with their counterparts, are despicable. Their mission appears to be the destruction of their own countries, the killing of their own people, and a regression to prehistoric times. With such a sick, corrupt, and delusional ideology, coupled with leaders of such despicable and hypocritical nature, achieving peace and stability seems elusive for our people until they are liberated from such leaders and such a toxic culture.

Halevi warns: Lebanon will face "serious consequences" if!
Agencies/January 13, 2024
Israeli Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Hertzl Halevi, described southern Lebanon as a "war zone" and warned Lebanon that it would face severe consequences in the event of a war with Hezbollah. Halevi stated, "We are preparing for war in the north and continuously enhancing our capabilities." Regarding the Gaza conflict, he announced that "military pressure on Hamas will continue.""We dismantled Hamas' military infrastructure in the northern Gaza Strip," he added. "We will not call up the reserve forces unless they are given time." Regarding the issue of hostages held by Hamas, Halevi continued, "Time is running out for us to retrieve the kidnapped, but we must prevent any extortion to stop the ceasefire." He further stated, "We will consider allowing displaced Palestinians from northern Gaza to return when there is no danger to them."

Bombardment and reconnaissance flights... Here are the latest developments in the south!
Agencies/January 13, 2024
After a long night during which the Israeli army launched dozens of heavy artillery shells on the outskirts of towns in Naqoura, Jabal al-Lubnana, Alma al-Sha'ab, Tirehurfa, and Duhayra, tension and caution prevail along the southern Lebanese border. In the latest field developments, the Israeli army targeted Hamams Hill with dozens of shells since 5 AM. Hezbollah reported that at 11:20 AM today, the Al-Aasi site was targeted with appropriate weapons and was directly hit. Israeli reconnaissance aircraft continued to fly over villages near the Blue Line in the western and central sectors, reaching the outskirts of the Litani River up to the city of Bint Jbeil. Israeli aircraft dropped illuminating bombs over the Tyre district and the coastal area and above the Blue Line. Late at night, heavy machine gun fire targeted the outskirts of the town of Duhayra and the town of Al-Bustan. On Saturday, the hostile raids targeted a house in the western sector, destroying it completely, and ambulances headed to the area.

Israel renews its targeting of homes in southern Lebanon, and Hezbollah responds by intensifying operations
Agencies/January 13, 2024
Israel renewed its targeting of homes in southern Lebanon, and Hezbollah responded by targeting buildings and intensifying military operations that targeted Israeli military sites and concentrations of Israeli soldiers. The Islamic Resistance, in its statements, reported that its fighters targeted the Al-Aasi site and Risha Pool before noon, intensifying operations in the afternoon. Hezbollah targeted the Braneet barracks and its surroundings, in addition to a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the Hounin fortress and another gathering on the Tayhat hill. After Israeli warplanes renewed their shelling of homes in southern towns, Hezbollah responded, targeting "Stoula settlement with appropriate weapons, causing a direct hit to one of its buildings." Later, it announced targeting the Ruwaysat Al-Alam site in Shebaa Farms and an Israeli Merkava tank in the location of Al-Muta, destroying it and causing its crew to be killed or injured. The National News Agency reported that Israeli warplanes carried out an air raid in the afternoon on a house in the border town of Yarin with two air-to-ground missiles, destroying it completely and causing injuries. The Israeli air force also targeted the outskirts of the towns of Ayta al-Shaab and Rmeish with artillery fire, while intensive airstrikes hit the town of Meis al-Jabal and the area between the towns of Yarin, Tyre Harfa, and Al-Jubayn and the outskirts of Hula. Phosphorus shells were also fired on Kafr Kila. In parallel, Hezbollah reiterated through its officials its call for a ceasefire in Gaza before discussing negotiations. Hezbollah MP Mohammad Fneish stated, "Those who want to stop the escalation in Lebanon and want to halt the clashes on the southern front must stop the aggression in Gaza, or else everything that happens is a cover for the aggression and a diversion from what is happening on Palestinian land, and support for the Zionist entity to continue its war crimes committed on Palestinian land."

Israel destroys a house... Here's what's happening in the western sector!
Agencies/January 13, 2024
Information indicates that Israeli enemy warplanes carried out around 1:15 PM today an aerial aggression, targeting a house in the border town of Yarin with air-to-ground missiles, leading to its complete destruction. Injuries were reported, and ambulances rushed to the scene.

Netanyahu: We proved to the party that "every blood shedder is wasted"
Agencies/January 13, 2024
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed, "We continue the fight until achieving all our goals, and we will restore calm to both the southern and northern fronts." He added, "The attack on the Jewish state is hypocrisy and a decline in human history against a people who rose from the ashes of the Holocaust, and the state of Israel and its security apparatus are fighting a just war against the new Nazis. No one will prevent us from fighting until victory in Gaza, whether in The Hague or the Axis of Evil." Netanyahu continued, "What happened on October 7th will never happen again, and this is our commitment. We are on the path to victory, and we will not stop before that and will not compromise on a clear victory." He said, "We proved to Hamas and Hezbollah that every element of them has wasted blood, and the decision to evacuate civilians in the north was correct." Netanyahu continued, "I told the US Secretary of State that this war is not only our war but also your war. It is a war against the Axis of Evil, and we fight to achieve our security for generations, and it is a war that cost us a high price." He added, "We pay a high price to live safely in our land and liberate the detainees, and we will not return Palestinians to the northern Gaza Strip as long as the fighting continues there, and we will not end the war without closing the gap in the Philadelphia Axis, otherwise the entry of weapons will continue." Netanyahu concluded, "We act according to the principles of international law, and the Israeli army avoids innocent civilians as much as possible."

Israeli airstrikes and shelling in south Lebanon amid Hezbollah attacks
Naharnet/January 11, 2024
The Israeli army on Saturday waged a "preemptive attack" on south Lebanon and its warplanes attacked "Hezbollah targets,” Israel’s Channel 12 said. Lebanon’s National News Agency for its part said that Israeli warplanes destroyed a house in the border town of Yarin, causing casualties, amid reports of an airstrike on the border town of Mays al-Jabal and artillery shelling on the outskirts of Aita al-Shaab and Rmeish. Israeli fighter jets had earlier on Saturday waged two strikes on the area between the border towns of Yarin, Tayr Harfa and al-Jibbain. Israeli artillery shelling also targeted the Hamoul area east of Naqoura, the Tawfa and al-Jidar areas in Mays al-Jabal, and the outskirts of Houla and Khiam. In two separate statements, Hezbollah said it targeted the al-Assi and the Birkat Risha Israeli posts with the “appropriate weapons.”Dozens of heavy artillery shells had overnight hit the outskirts of Naqoura, Alma al-Shaab, Tayr Harfa, al-Dhayra and Aita al-Shaab, amid heavy-caliber machinegun fire on the outskirts of al-Dhayra and al-Bustan. More than three months of cross-border violence have killed 190 people in Lebanon, including more than 140 Hezbollah fighters and over 20 civilians including three journalists. In northern Israel, nine soldiers and at least four civilians have been killed, according to Israeli authorities. The violence has also displaced tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the border.

UN Peacekeeping chief wraps up Lebanon leg of regional trip
Naharnet/January 11, 2024
U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix has concluded a four-day visit to Lebanon. "This was part of a regular visit to peacekeeping missions in the Middle East, though it came in the context of high tension along the Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel," the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said in a statement. During the visit, Lacroix discussed the important role of UNIFIL in de-escalating tension along the Blue Line, UNIFIL added. “All actors must cease fire, recommit to resolution 1701, and work toward a durable political and diplomatic solution,” he stressed. “This is the only way to achieve a lasting peace.” During the visit, Lacroix met with senior Lebanese officials including Speaker Nabih Berri, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdallah Bou Habib, caretaker Minister of Defense Maurice Slim, Lebanese Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, and acting director of General Security Maj. Gen. Elias Bayssari. He also met with ambassadors of the countries sending troops to serve with UNIFIL, ambassadors of the Permanent Members of the U.N. Security Council, as well as other members of the diplomatic community. His central message in those meetings was the need to de-escalate current tensions across the Blue Line. “We are deeply concerned by the exchanges of fire across the Blue Line we have seen since the 8th of October, indicating potential for a wider escalation, which must be avoided,” said Lacroix, as he concluded the Lebanon leg of his tour. “We continue to urge all actors to cease fire, as each day this continues increases the risk of a larger and more devastating conflict.” Since the exchanges of fire began, dozens of civilians and journalists have been injured or killed. UNIFIL positions have been hit more than two dozen times, with three peacekeepers injured. “This is not acceptable and must end,” said Lacroix. “We once again remind the parties, and actors involved in the exchanges of fire, of their obligation to avoid harm to civilians and of the inviolability of U.Nm personnel and premises.”Lacroix commended the "perseverance demonstrated by the more than 10,000 UNIFIL peacekeepers in the face of these challenges," the statement said. “In the current context, UNIFIL has continued all efforts to implement its mandate despite challenges on a scale unprecedented since 2006,” he said. “The mission and its peacekeepers remain steadfast in their continued support for a long-term solution to the conflict,” he added.

Hezbollah strikes Birkat Risha site with appropriate weapons
LBCI/January 11, 2024
Hezbollah announced on Saturday that it successfully targeted the site of Birkat Risha using appropriate weaponry, resulting in a direct and precise hit.

Israeli Army conducts airstrike on Mays al-Jabal
LBCI/January 11, 2024
The Israeli Army said on Saturday that it executed an airstrike, directing its focus on the western neighborhood of Mays al-Jabal town in south Lebanon.
Lebanon News

Mikati: Talk of pacification limited to Lebanon illogical
Naharnet/January 11, 2024
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Friday noted that pacifying the situation in south Lebanon without taking into consideration what’s happening in Gaza would be “illogical.”“We have told all envoys that talking about pacification exclusively in Lebanon is an illogical thing,” Mikati said at the beginning of a Cabinet session. “Based on our Arab identity and principles, we demand a ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible, in parallel with a serious ceasefire in Lebanon,” Mikati added. “We do not accept that our brothers be facing genocide and destruction as we seek an own agreement with anyone,” the premier went on to say. More than three months of cross-border violence have killed 190 people in Lebanon, including more than 140 Hezbollah fighters and over 20 civilians including three journalists. In northern Israel, nine soldiers and at least four civilians have been killed, according to Israeli authorities. The violence has also displaced tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the border.

Report: US-tasked Dutch envoy met with Hezbollah for past two weeks
Naharnet/January 11, 2024
The U.S. administration has tasked a Dutch envoy with visiting Lebanon and meeting with Hezbollah’s leadership, a media report said on Friday. “This is what happened over the past two weeks,” the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported. “The discussions revolved around the rules of engagement and delved into the next-day arrangements in Lebanon after the Gaza war,” the daily added. More than three months of cross-border violence have killed 190 people in Lebanon, including more than 140 Hezbollah fighters and over 20 civilians including three journalists. In northern Israel, nine soldiers and at least four civilians have been killed, according to Israeli authorities. The violence has also displaced tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the border. Last week, Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah hailed "a historic opportunity" to help Lebanon regain control of disputed border land, "after this phase (of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah) ends and after the aggression on Gaza." The same day, Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said his government "prefers a diplomatic path over a military one," but warned: "We are close to the point of the hour glass turning over."

War effects on Lebanese perceptions: Study reveals sectarian divide
LBCI/January 11, 2024
A recent study conducted by the Washington Institute for Near East Studies shed light on the profound impact of the Gaza war and subsequent clashes in the south on the perceptions of the Lebanese people, who are already grappling with a series of crises. According to the study, the Gaza war and southern confrontations have not only reshaped the political landscape but have also provided several factions with opportunities to rebuild the lack of popular support. Based on a survey conducted between November 14 and December 6, 2023, during the second month of the war on Gaza, the study highlights the sectarian divide. However, certain indicators revealed a breach in this sectarian divide within specific contexts. The question of whether Lebanon should stay away from external wars garnered support from 66% of Sunnis and 74% of Christians. In contrast, only 27% of Shia respondents agreed with the proposition. Amid this division, another scene emerges, illustrating the rising popularity of Hezbollah among non-Shia communities. In 2020, only 8% of Sunnis expressed a somewhat optimistic view of Hezbollah, while today, this percentage has surged to 34%, as indicated in the study. Similar trends are noted among Christians, with the positive outlook on Hezbollah increasing from 16% in 2020 to 29% today. Notably, the overwhelming majority of Shia respondents, 93%, continue to view Hezbollah positively. The improved perception of Hezbollah has also positively impacted Hamas, with 79% of Lebanese expressing a positive view of the party. Nonetheless, within the Christian community, opinions about Hamas remain more ambiguous, divided between 59% positive and 38% negative. The study also brought surprising insights regarding US perceptions in Lebanon. A staggering 71% of respondents believe that the United States is not in a position to help end the war in Gaza, signaling an opportunity for other countries to gain the trust of the Lebanese people, including China and Russia.

Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 13-14/2024
US strikes another Houthi site after warning ships to avoid parts of Red Sea
Associated Press/January 13/2024The U.S. military early Saturday struck another Houthi-controlled site in Yemen that it had determined was putting commercial vessels in the Red Sea at risk, a day after the U.S. and Britain launched multiple airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels. Associated Press journalists in Sanaa, Yemen's capital, heard one loud explosion. U.S. Central Command said the "follow-on action" early Saturday local time against a Houthi radar site was conducted by the Navy destroyer USS Carney using Tomahawk land attack missiles. The first day of strikes Friday hit 28 locations and struck more than 60 targets. President Joe Biden had warned Friday that the Houthis could face further strikes. The latest strike came after the U.S. Navy on Friday warned American-flagged vessels to steer clear of areas around Yemen in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for the next 72 hours after the initial airstrikes. The warning came as Yemen's Houthis vowed fierce retaliation, further raising the prospect of a wider conflict in a region already beset by Israel's war in Gaza. U.S. military and White House officials said they expected the Houthis to try to strike back. The U.S.-led bombardment — launched in response to a recent campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial ships in the vital Red Sea — killed at least five people and wounded six, the Houthis said. The U.S. said the strikes, in two waves, took aim at targets in 28 different locations across Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
"We will make sure that we respond to the Houthis if they continue this outrageous behavior along with our allies," Biden told reporters during a stop in Emmaus, Pennsylvania. Asked if he believes the Houthis are a terrorist group, Biden responded, "I think they are." The president in a later exchange with reporters during a stop in Allentown, Pennsylvania, said whether the Houthis are redesignated as such was "irrelevant." Biden also pushed back against some lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, who said he should have sought congressional authorization before carrying out the strikes.
"They're wrong, and I sent up this morning when the strikes occurred exactly what happened," Biden said. The Pentagon said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the military action from the hospital where he is recovering from complications following prostate cancer surgery.
The White House said in November that it was considering redesignating the Houthis as a terrorist organization after they began their targeting of civilian vessels. The administration formally delisted the Houthis as a "foreign terrorist organization" and "specially designated global terrorists" in 2021, undoing a move by President Donald Trump
Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Friday's U.S. strikes were largely in low-populated areas, and the number of those killed would not be high. He said the strikes hit weapons, radar and targeting sites, including in remote mountain areas. As the bombing lit the predawn sky over multiple sites held by the Iranian-backed rebels, it forced the world to again focus on Yemen's yearslong war, which began when the Houthis seized the country's capital. Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel's offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade and energy shipments. The Houthis' military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, said in a recorded address that the U.S. strikes would "not go unanswered or unpunished."
Though the Biden administration and its allies have tried to calm tensions in the Middle East for weeks and prevent any wider conflict, the strikes threatened to ignite one. Saudi Arabia — which supports the government-in-exile that the Houthis are fighting — quickly sought to distance itself from the attacks as it seeks to maintain a delicate détente with Iran and a cease-fire it has in Yemen. The Saudi-led, U.S.-backed war in Yemen has killed more than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, and created one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters, killing tens of thousands more.
It remained unclear how extensive the damage was from Friday's strikes, though the Houthis said at least five sites, including airfields, had been attacked. The White House said the U.S. military was still assessing the extent the militants' capabilities might have been degraded.
U.S. Air Forces Central Command said the strikes focused on the Houthi's command and control nodes, munition depots, launching systems, production facilities and air defense radar systems. The strikes involved more than 150 precision-guided munitions including air-launched missiles by F/A-18 Super Hornets based on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Tomahawk missiles from the Navy destroyers USS Gravely and USS Mason, the Navy cruiser USS Philippine Sea, and a U.S. submarine. The United Kingdom said strikes hit a site in Bani allegedly used by the Houthis to launch drones and an airfield in Abbs used to launch cruise missiles and drones. In a separate development, Iran released footage of its seizure of an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman that once had been at the center of a dispute between Tehran and Washington. In the footage, a helicopter hovers over the deck of the St. Nikolas. Iran's navy seized the vessel Thursday. The vessel had been known earlier as the Suez Rajan. The U.S. seized 1 million barrels of sanctioned Iranian oil off the vessel last year. In Yemen, Hussein al-Ezzi, a Houthi official in their Foreign Ministry, said, "America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression."
The Red Sea route is a crucial waterway, and attacks there have caused severe disruptions to global trade. Benchmark Brent crude oil traded up some 4% Friday at over $80 a barrel. Tesla, meanwhile, said it would temporarily halt most production at its German factory because of attacks in the Red Sea.
In Saada, the Houthis' stronghold in northwest Yemen, hundreds gathered for a rally Friday, denouncing the U.S. and Israel. Another drew thousands in Sanaa, the capital. Houthis now control territory that is home to some two-thirds of Yemen's population of 34 million. War and misgovernment have made Yemen one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, and the World Food Program considers the vast majority of Yemen's people as food-insecure. Yemen has been targeted by U.S. military action over the last four American presidencies. A campaign of drone strikes began under President George W. Bush to target the local affiliate of al-Qaida, attacks that have continued under the Biden administration. Meanwhile, the U.S. has launched raids and other military operations amid the ongoing war in Yemen. That war began when the Houthis swept into Sanaa in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition including the United Arab Emirates launched a war to back Yemen's exiled government in 2015, quickly morphing the conflict into a regional confrontation as Iran backed the Houthis with weapons and other support.
The conflict, however, has slowed as the Houthis maintain their grip on the territory they hold. In March, Saudi Arabia reached a Chinese-mediated deal to restart relations with Iran in hopes of ultimately withdrawing from the war. Iran condemned Friday's attack in a statement from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani. "Arbitrary attacks will have no result other than fueling insecurity and instability in the region," he said. At an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council late Friday, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the U.S., U.K. and allies of "blatant armed aggression" against Yemen and warned "if the escalation continues, the entire Middle East could encounter a catastrophe." U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield and U.K. Ambassador Barbara Woodward insisted the attacks were in self-defense. "So de-escalation needs to happen," Thomas-Greenfield said. "It needs to happen from the Houthis who are putting all of our shipping lines in jeopardy."

Yemen’s Houthis vow ‘strong response’ after new US strike
SAEED AL-BATATI/Arab News/January 13, 2024
AL-MUKALLA: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have threatened a “strong and effective response” after the US carried out another strike in the country, ratcheting up tensions as Washington vows to protect shipping from attacks by the group. The latest strike, which the US said hit a radar site, came a day after dozens of American and British attacks on Houthi facilities in Yemen. “This new strike will have a firm, strong and effective response,” Houthi spokesperson Nasruldeen Amer said, adding there had been no injuries nor “material damage.”Mohammed Abdulsalam, another Houthi spokesperson, said the strikes, including the one that hit a military base in Sanaa, had had no significant impact on the group’s ability to prevent Israel-affiliated vessels from passing through the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.
Hans Grundberg, UN special envoy for Yemen, urged maximum restraint by “all involved” in Yemen and warned of an increasingly precarious situation in the region. Grundberg said that the UN-brokered peace effort that resulted in Yemeni parties agreeing to support a road map for peace was at risk of being undermined due to the latest escalation in tension in the Red Sea. Further actions might aggravate Yemen’s already difficult situation, undermine maritime trade route security, and lead to increased tension in the region, he warned. His office said that Grundberg “notes with serious concern the increasingly precarious regional context and its adverse impact on peace efforts in Yemen and stability and security in the region.”International mediators are concerned that the US attacks on Houthi-held regions will prompt the Yemeni militia to abandon UN-brokered peace talks and begin armed operations throughout the country.
The US Central Command said on Saturday that the USS Carney navy destroyer fired Tomahawk land attack missiles at a Houthi radar location in Yemen at 3:45 a.m. on Jan. 13, without naming the targeted site, adding that the latest and previous strikes on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen were intended to impact on the militia’s military power and prevent it from threatening maritime navigation traffic. The Houthis said that Saturday’s strikes hit Al-Dailami airbase north of Sanaa. The Houthis said the attacks on Yemen would not “go unpunished,” branding the attacks as a “blatant aggression” designed to force the group to abandon its support for the Palestinian people. The US and UK militaries launched dozens of strikes on more than 60 targets in Sanaa, Hodeidah, Taiz, Saada, Hajjah, and Dhamar on Friday, striking “command-and-control nodes, munitions depots, launching systems, production facilities and air defense radar systems” in retaliation for the Houthi missile and drone attacks on commercial and navy ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis accuse the US of attempting to force the militia into ceasing its assaults against Israeli-linked ships or ships bound for Israel, actions which are intended to persuade Israel to ease its blockade of Gaza. President Joe Biden said the US had delivered a private message to Iran about the Houthis. “We delivered it privately and we’re confident we’re well-prepared,” Biden told reporters at the White House. Separately, Yemen’s legitimate government said that two of its soldiers were killed in fighting with the Houthis in the western province of Hodeidah. The Houthis on Friday shelled the Yemeni government’s forces in Hodeidah’s Hays district before attacking, triggering heavy clashes that left two government soldiers and a number of Houthis dead. Hostilities across Yemen’s battlefields have largely subsided since the UN-brokered truce came into effect in April 2022.

Attacks on Yemen: US and British Forces face retaliation
LBCI/January 13, 2024
In the wake of the heinous aggression against the Yemeni people, the entire responsibility lies with the American and British enemies, and this will not pass without a response and punishment. Despite Houthi threats to retaliate against Friday's British-American airstrikes, the United States continued its attacks on Houthi positions in Yemen. The Tomahawk missile, launched from the USS Carney destroyer, targeted a Houthi radar site, the location of which was not disclosed, according to US Central Command "CENTCOM." The main purpose of these attacks is to diminish the Houthi's capability to target ships in the Red Sea. However, according to the Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV, the United States and Britain targeted the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, with several airstrikes. One of the strikes hit the Al-Dailami Air Base north of the Yemeni capital. Deputy Head of the Media Authority for Ansar Allah, Nasr al-Din Amer, stated that the targeted base was out of service, and there were no casualties. The escalation in the Red Sea between the United States and the Houthis is not a sudden development. US Central Command also reported the loss of two US Navy sailors during operations on Thursday off the coast of Somalia. Last Wednesday, the Houthis announced targeting a US ship providing support to Israel in the Red Sea without providing additional details. The confrontation between the United States and the Houthis continues, all linked to the actions of the Houthis in the Red Sea, according to President Joe Biden.

On 99th day of war, Gaza ministry says dozens killed in Israel strikes
AFP/REUTERS/January 13, 2024
GAZA: Health officials in Hamas-ruled Gaza said Saturday that Israeli strikes killed at least 60 people in the besieged territory, 99 days into the war.
Fears of the conflict widening intensified after US and British forces struck pro-Hamas Houthi rebels in Yemen following attacks on Red Sea shipping, with the US military announcing a fresh air strike on Saturday, a day after the initial barrage. Witnesses in the Gaza Strip reported early-morning Israeli bombardment. An AFP correspondent said intense shelling and air strikes hit the south of Gaza overnight. Nimma Al-Akhras, 80, described the strike that destroyed her home. “It was very powerful,” she said. “We started to scream and I couldn’t move but someone pulled me out and put me on a cart.”
The Israeli army said its forces had struck dozens of rocket launchers that were “ready to be used” in central Gaza, and eliminated four “terrorists” in air strikes on Khan Yunis, Gaza’s main southern city. The military also reported that its engineers had destroyed a Hamas “command center” and weapons found there, after a raid in central Gaza. Health ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qudra reported “more than 60 martyrs” in Israeli air strikes and artillery fire overnight, with dozens more wounded. Israel’s relentless bombardment of Gaza since Hamas’s October 7 attack has killed at least 23,843 people, mostly women and children, according to the latest ministry toll. The war, in which Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas, began when the militants launched their unprecedented attack that resulted in about 1,140 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
At Rafah’s Al-Najjar hospital, mourners gathered and prayed around the bodies of slain relatives. One man stroked the body of a child, wrapped up like a white parcel. He kissed it, then placed it gently among others.
Another man, Bassem Araf, held up a photo of another child.
“She died hungry with bread in her hand. We tried to remove the bread from her hand but it was held tight,” Araf said. “This is the resistance they are targeting in Gaza, just children.” An AFP reporter in Rafah said telecommunications had been partially restored, a day after Gaza’s main operator Paltel reported the latest outage. Paltel did not immediately confirm the service restoration. Winter rains have exacerbated the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the UN estimates 1.9 million — nearly 85 percent of the population — have been displaced. Many have sought shelter in Rafah and other southern areas where the health ministry says there isn’t the infrastructure to support them. “The infrastructure, services and health care in Rafah are fragile and cannot bear the needs of 1.3 million citizens and displaced people,” its spokesman said.
The United Nations humanitarian office, OCHA, told AFP that Israel was blocking aid convoys into northern Gaza.
“They have been very systematic in not allowing us to support hospitals,” OCHA’s head for the Palestinian territories, Andrea De Domenico, said on Friday decrying “a level of inhumanity... beyond comprehension.”The health ministry spokesman accused Israel of “deliberately targeting hospitals... to put them out of service,” warning of “devastating repercussions.”Hospitals, protected under international humanitarian law, have repeatedly been hit by Israeli strikes in Gaza since the war erupted. The Israeli military accuses Hamas of operating command centers in tunnels under hospitals, a charge denied by the Islamist group. Fewer than half of Gaza’s hospitals are functioning and those only partly, the World Health Organization says. In Israel, concern grew for hostages held in Gaza as they approach their 100th day in captivity. Palestinian militants on October 7 seized about 250 hostages, 132 of whom Israel says remain in Gaza, including at least 25 believed to have been killed. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — under domestic pressure to get the hostages home — said on Friday a deal had been negotiated with Qatar to get medicine to the captives.
“It’s not enough. I want him home, in hospital, in a good health care, not in Hamas health care,” Ella Ben Ami, daughter of hostage Ohad Ben Ami, 55, said in Tel Aviv. Bombing and deprivation didn’t stop Gaza couple Afnan Jibril and Mustafa Shamlakh, displaced by the war, from getting married in Rafah.
“We are all living through the same tragedy. However, we must continue to live, and life should go on,” said Ayman Shamlakh, the groom’s uncle. In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where violence has surged during the Israel-Hamas war, Israeli troops killed three militants after they attacked a Jewish settlement, the army said. It said there had been a “terrorist infiltration” in the Adora settlement, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of Hebron, and soldiers had come under fire. Palestinian news agency Wafa identified the three killed as a 19-year-old and two 16-year-olds. The International Court of Justice this week heard arguments in a case launched by South Africa — and welcomed by Gazans — accusing Israel of breaching the UN Genocide Convention in the Gaza war. The case seeks a halt to Israel’s military campaign. Israel stressed to the court that its response was in self-defense and not aimed at Palestinian residents. The court is likely to make an initial ruling within weeks.

Shift in strategy and political challenges: Israel enters a new phase on the 100th day of Gaza war
LBCI/January 13/2024
On the eve of the 100th day of the Gaza war, Israel acknowledges a shift in its military approach, with officials conceding that the initial goal of eradicating Hamas may not be achievable.Simultaneously, Hezbollah's continued war of depletion in the north prompts internal debates in Israel on the necessity of diplomatic solutions. On the northern front, estimates suggest that Hezbollah will persist in its attrition strategy, targeting sensitive Israeli military and strategic sites using drones. Despite growing calls for a diplomatic resolution within Israel, the home front command urges residents within three and a half kilometers of the Lebanese border to return home within two weeks, a proposition met with refusal as locals demand the establishment of a buffer zone at the very least. In the south, Israeli ground forces withdrew from Gaza, signaling a reduction in ground operations despite recent airstrikes and the massacres committed by the Air Force during the last 24 hours. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hints at a potential deal involving medication for Israeli prisoners in exchange for increased humanitarian aid and medicines for Gaza residents, laying the groundwork for a potential prisoner exchange. Amid the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the ground battle, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant rushes to Gaza to assess the situation, announcing that the military will remain in the region, particularly in Khan Yunis, revealing images of tunnels where prisoners were reportedly held. As Netanyahu and Gallant engage in a public power struggle, security, and political figures place their bets on the families of prisoners near the Gaza border, anticipating that their actions may determine the endgame of the war. On the 100th day, the Israeli Cabinet contemplates how to navigate developments on both the northern and southern fronts, seeking a resolution that ensures a prisoner deal in Gaza and a diplomatic agreement in the north, all while awaiting the International Court's decision, which is expected to influence Israeli leadership decisions across various fronts.

Europe must unite, work with Middle East partners to bring end to Gaza hostilities: EU foreign policy chief Borrell
ARAB NEWS/January 13, 2024
LONDON: The EU’s foreign policy chief said on Saturday that Europe had to unite and work with its Middle Eastern partners to push for an end to hostilities in Gaza. After his trip to the Middle East to meet with leaders and officials to discuss the crises in the region, Josep Borrell said that the conflict between Israel and Hamas was the “most urgent geopolitical issue we have to deal with.”Borrell said, after discussions with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, that he counted the Kingdom as one of the EU’s main partners — alongside Jordan, Egypt and the Arab League — in trying to revive Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and bring the two-state solution back to the fore. “With my Saudi interlocutors, we discussed the situation in Gaza,” he said. “Our analyses converged on several critical points: The need for a rapid end to the fighting and the release of hostages, the need to avoid a forced displacement of Palestinians outside of the enclave and the need for a rapid withdrawal of Israeli forces at the end of the military operation,” he added. Borrell added that he also discussed with Saudi officials the efforts being taken to halt Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. “We also discussed the risks of the conflict spreading to the wider region. This included the precarious situation in the Red Sea as a result of attacks by Houthi rebels on merchant ships,” he said.
“For our part, we are discussing options to help restore freedom of navigation, including the creation of a new European maritime operation alongside mission Atalanta, which is already operating off the coast of Somalia,” he added. During his visit to Lebanon, Borrell spoke with caretaker prime minister Najib Mikati and other political figures about the need to avoid the country being drawn into a wider conflict with Israel. “I conveyed to all my interlocutors our deep concern at the risk of seeing Lebanon drawn into a conflict with Israel, and our desire to help prevent such a disastrous development,” he said. “All of them, including the representative of Hezbollah, told me they were equally eager to avoid being pulled into such a downward spiral.”Borrell also spoke to UNRWA Commissioner General Philipe Lazzarini, reiterating the EU’s support for the humanitarian organization, its opposition to the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and its backing for more aid to be allowed into the enclave. Lazzarini on Saturday said that the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza was “staining humanity,” as the conflict moved into its 100th day.
“The massive death, destruction, displacement, hunger, loss and grief of the last 100 days are staining our shared humanity,” he said in a statement as he visited the Gaza Strip. “It’s been 100 days since the devastating war started, killing and displacing people in Gaza, following the horrific attacks that Hamas and other groups carried out against people in Israel. It’s been 100 days of ordeal and anxiety for hostages and their families.”Borrell also said that following his trip to the Middle East, he was confident the EU and its regional partners can work together toward resolving the crises. “Returning from this mission, my conviction has only deepened on the urgency for the EU to intensify its involvement in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At the same time, I am also more convinced than ever of the feasibility of doing so in close cooperation with our regional partners,” he said. “Since Oct. 7, there have been divergent views within the EU on how to react to the conflict in Gaza. This lack of consensus has weakened the EU in the region and prevented us from having influence on events, despite the fact that we are very directly impacted by this conflict and its consequences. “The time has come for us to unite and shoulder our responsibility to push for an end to the hostilities in Gaza, and work with our partners to actively pursue the implementation of the two-state solution.”

Egypt's Ambassador: Israeli assertions are another desperate attempt to evade its responsibilities
LBCI/January 13/2024
Egypt's Ambassador in Beirut, Alaa Moussa, dismissed Israel's claims presented in its pleadings before the International Court of Justice, alleging that Egypt is responsible for obstructing the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
Moussa deemed these Israeli assertions as another desperate attempt to evade its responsibilities as an occupying authority and deflect the repercussions of aid not reaching Gaza despite multiple UN resolutions on the matter.
Moussa further characterized this as a new attempt by Israel to cast blame on others who do not need to prove their historical stance in support of the Palestinian people's rights and the Palestinian cause.

Over 30 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza
Associated Press/January 13/2024
More than 30 Palestinians, including young children, were killed in two Israeli airstrikes overnight into Saturday in the Gaza Strip, officials said, as concerns continued to grow over a lack of fuel and supplies for overburdened hospitals. Video provided by Gaza's Civil Defense department showed rescue workers searching through the twisted rubble of a home in Gaza City by flashlight early Saturday morning after it was hit by an Israeli attack. Footage showed them carrying a young girl wrapped in blankets with injuries to her face, and at least two other children who appeared dead. A boy, covered in dust, winced as he was loaded into an ambulance. The attack on the home in the Daraj neighborhood killed at least 20 people in total, according to Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal. Another strike near the southern city of Rafah on the Egyptian border killed at least 13 people, including two children. The bodies of those killed, primarily from a displaced family from central Gaza, were taken to the city's Abu Youssef al-Najjar hospital where they were seen by an Associated Press reporter. The Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Saturday that 135 Palestinians were killed in the last 24 hours, bringing the overall toll of the war to 23,843. The count does not differentiate between combatants and civilians, but the ministry has said about two-thirds of the dead are women and children. The ministry said the total number of war-wounded surpassed 60,000. Israel has argued Hamas is responsible for the high civilian casualties, saying its fighters make use of civilian buildings and launch attacks from densely populated urban areas. With the war in Gaza entering its 100th day on Sunday, the World Health Organization has said only 15 of the territories' 36 hospitals still partially functional, according to OCHA, the United Nations' humanitarian affairs agency. The main hospital in central Gaza, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the city of Deir al-Balah, went dark Friday morning after running out of fuel.
Staff were able to keep ventilators and incubators operating with solar-charged batteries during the day, and received a small emergency shipment of fuel from another hospital late Friday. Fuel was expected to run out again on Saturday unless the WHO is able to deliver a promised shipment, hospital officials said. Aid deliveries were being disrupted by a renewed drop in telecommunications connectivity in much of Gaza, which began late Friday.
In its Oct. 7 attack that sparked the war, Hamas and other militants allegedly killed some 1,200 people in Israel. About 250 more were taken hostage, and while some have been released or confirmed dead, more than half are believed to still be in captivity. Since the start of Israel's ground operation in late October, 186 Israeli soldiers were killed and another 1,099 injured in Gaza, according to the military. More than 85% of Gaza's population of 2.3 million has been displaced as a result of Israel's air and ground offensive, and vast swaths of the territory have been leveled. Recent developments, including U.S. and British military strikes on Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen, have stoked growing fears of the war broadening into a regional conflict. The strikes came in response to a Houthi campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, which they said was in response to Israel's offensive in Gaza. Amid already severe shortages of food, clean water and fuel in Gaza, OCHA said in its daily report that Israel's severe constraints on humanitarian missions and outright denials had increased since the start of the year. The agency said only 21% of planned deliveries of food, medicine, water and other supplies have been successfully reaching northern Gaza. "These denials paralyze the ability of humanitarian partners to respond meaningfully, consistently and at-scale to widespread humanitarian needs," the agency said. American and other international efforts pushing Israel to do more to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian civilians have met with little success. At the same time, Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, the territory's main hospital that had been shut down since November, had begun partially functioning again, the WHO said Friday. Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said his organization has delivered 9,300 liters (2,460 gallons) of fuel to Shifa, allowing a 60-person medical team to begin treating more than 1,000 patients. The lack of adequate humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza forms part of South Africa's case that opened this week at the International Court of Justice in The Hague accusing Israel of genocide. In its complaint, South Africa argues Israel has failed to ensure that the medical needs of Palestinians are met, and accuses Israel of " directly attacking Palestinian hospitals, ambulances and other healthcare facilities in Gaza."When the case opened on Thursday, South Africa called for broad provisional measures to be implemented, including asking the court to immediately order Israel to halt its offensive and to provide access to "adequate fuel, shelter, clothes, hygiene and sanitization" as well as medical supplies and assistance. Israel's legal team accused Hamas of using hospitals and other civilian facilities to launch attacks and shelter their fighters. Israel has argued that it is doing everything possible to protect civilians and that is has been working with hospitals to provide assistance. Israel called for a dismissal of South Africa's case. It was not immediately clear when a decision would be reached.

Economic strain: Israel expels Palestinian workers
LBCI/January 13/2024
Israel has expelled thousands of Palestinian workers engaged in various sectors, including construction, agriculture, food, and services, intensifying its economic warfare alongside the ongoing military and political war with the Palestinians. Since October 7, Israel's war against the Palestinians has not been limited to military and political fronts but has also taken an economic toll. Beyond targeting economic and civilian service facilities in Gaza, Israel simultaneously revoked all work permits for Palestinian laborers from the West Bank and Gaza. Approximately 153,000 Palestinians from the West Bank and 25,000 from Gaza were employed in Israeli facilities within Israel and settlements, constituting nearly 20% of the total Palestinian workforce. According to statistics from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, these workers contributed approximately $3 billion annually to the Palestinian economy, accounting for nearly 15% of the available national income. Israeli authorities exercise control over the fragile and fundamentally limited Palestinian economy not only through Palestinian labor but also through levies and taxes on goods entering the Palestinian territories. These tariffs, collected by Israel, form a crucial part of the revenue for the Palestinian National Authority and the Palestinian Treasury, facilitating salary disbursements.The absence of Palestinian labor inflicts further losses on Israel, disrupting the productivity of vital sectors. However, safeguarding Israel's security remains the top priority for the Jewish state. Consequently, Israel has begun exploring the employment of foreign workers from various nationalities to prevent the re-entry of Palestinians into the Israeli labor market.

Russia says struck 'Ukrainian military-industrial complex'
Agence France Presse/January 13/2024
Russia on Saturday said it destroyed all targets in a barrage of strikes on facilities producing ammunition and drones in Ukraine. "This morning the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out a group strike... against facilities of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex," the defence ministry said in a daily briefing. It said it was targeting places producing shells, gunpowder and unmanned aerial vehicles. "All designated facilities were hit," it added. Ukraine earlier said it logged 40 drones and missiles launched from Russia, with eight missiles destroyed and "more than 20 devices" disabled by electronic warfare. No fatalities were reported so far, but Ukrainian authorities said a civilian was wounded in the northeastern Sumy region. The air force in Ukraine's neighbor Poland said it had briefly activated air defense systems due to the increased level of threat, before returning to normal.

Somalia ‘ready for war’ with Ethiopia over Somaliland deal
ARAB NEWS/January 13, 2024
LONDON: A senior adviser to Somalia’s president has said his country is prepared for a war with Ethiopia to prevent recognition of Somaliland’s statehood and the building of a naval base in the breakaway territory, The Guardian reported on Saturday. On Jan. 1, Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with Somaliland allowing for the construction of a coastal port. The move has enraged Somalia’s government, which claims Somaliland as part of its territory and declared that the deal is void. The adviser said: “We are pursuing all diplomatic options and I think Ethiopia will come to its senses, but we are ready for a war if Abiy (Ahmed, Ethiopia’s prime minister) wants a war.”Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud warned last week to “prepare for the defense of our homeland” as rallies took place in Mogadishu condemning the MoU. At a summit in Saudi Arabia in November, Ahmed denied seeking sea access via Somaliland in a private conversation with Mohamud, the adviser said, adding that the deal “caught Somalia by surprise.”Somaliland was a British colony until 1960, uniting with former Italian colony Somalia after five days of independence. Somaliland broke away in 1991 and today operates as a de facto independent state, with its own monetary system, parliament and foreign embassies. But it has yet to be formally recognized by any country.
Despite enjoying relative stability and prosperity compared to Somalia, Somaliland struggles to attract foreign investment and cannot directly access the international financial system. The deal with Ethiopia is seen as paving the way for recognition of Somaliland’s statehood, despite the former insisting that the agreement is purely commercial. Somaliland’s Foreign Minister Essa Kayd said: “Recognition is what we have been fighting for all this time and it is the most important thing we can offer to the people of Somaliland. “Ethiopia needs sea access and we need recognition, so you can see how these needs can be dealt with.”Ethiopia, however, said it had only agreed to “make an in-depth assessment towards taking a position regarding the efforts of Somaliland to gain recognition.”A Western diplomat described the deal as a “memorandum of misunderstanding” in comments to The Guardian, adding: “Ethiopia insists they did not agree to recognise Somaliland.” Addis Ababa’s move for sea access comes amid its construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which has angered Egypt and Sudan, which say it will reduce their access to Nile water. Mohamud is preparing to travel to Egypt to rally support against the MoU. Ethiopia and Somalia fought a war in 1977-78 over disputed territory, leading to decades of tensions between the two countries. In 2006, Ethiopia invaded Somalia to remove Islamist militants from Mogadishu, leading to the Al-Shabaab insurgency.

Israel pounds Gaza on 99th day of war
AFP/REUTERS/January 13, 2024
Fears of the conflict widening have grown after US and British forces struck pro-Hamas Houthi rebels in Yemen
UN aid chief calls anew for Gaza ceasefire, urges UN action to end war
GAZA: Israel pounded Gaza on Saturday as the Palestinian territory suffered under a dire humanitarian situation and grappled with a telecommunications blackout on the 99th day of the war.
Fears of the conflict widening have grown after US and British forces struck pro-Hamas Houthi rebels in Yemen following attacks on Red Sea shipping, with a fresh US air strike confirmed Saturday.
Witnesses reported Israeli bombardment of Gaza in the early morning, and an AFP journalist said Friday that strikes and shelling had hit areas between Gaza’s southern cities of Khan Yunis and Rafah, crowded with people who have fled from the north.
All Internet and telecommunications services in Gaza were cut Friday as a result of Israeli bombardment, the main operator Paltel said.
“Gaza is blacked out again,” it said in a post on social media platform X.
The Palestinian Red Crescent posted that the disruption was increasing the challenges in “reaching the wounded and injured promptly.”
Israel’s relentless bombardment of Gaza has killed at least 23,708 people, mostly women and children, according to the latest health ministry figures.
The war began when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on October 7, which resulted in about 1,140 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The militant group also seized about 250 hostages. Meanwhile, Israeli forces killed three Palestinians who were armed with knives, a rifle and axes and were trying to break into a settlement in the occupied West Bank overnight between Friday and Saturday, the Israeli military said.
The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said two were 16-years-old and the third was 19. The Israeli military said a soldier was wounded in an exchange of fire with the assailants as they breached the outer fence of the settlement Adora, near the Palestinian city Hebron.
Aid prevention
UN aid agency OCHA’s head for the occupied Palestinian territories told AFP on Friday that Israel was constantly blocking humanitarian aid convoys into northern Gaza. “They have been very systematic in not allowing us to support hospitals, which is something that is reaching a point of a level of inhumanity that for me is beyond comprehension,” Andrea De Domenico said. In central Gaza, a lack of fuel forced the shutdown of the main generator of Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah, the health ministry said. “Does anyone care about us? Why is everyone silent?” asked one mourner at a hospital where a group of Palestinians had gathered beside white body bags holding the latest casualties.
But the war didn’t stop Afnan and Moustapha from getting married in Rafah, near the border with Egypt. “The house where the groom was supposed to live was destroyed, and as the war persisted, we thought it best for them to get married,” Ayman Shamlakh, the groom’s uncle, told AFP. “We are all living through the same tragedy. However, we must continue to live, and life should go on.”
Mohamed Gebreel, father of the bride, said he had no doubts about going ahead with the ceremony. “We are a people that love life despite death, murders and destruction,” he said.
Medicine for hostages
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Friday a deal had been negotiated with Qatar to get medicine to hostages still being held in Gaza.
The deal “will allow the entry of medicines for the hostages held by the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
Israeli campaign group Hostages and Missing Families Forum released a report this week saying the captives were in poor health, some with complex illnesses, others with injuries. A diplomat familiar with the negotiations told AFP that both sides had expressed a willingness to allow the delivery of medicines.
“The mediators are now in the process of finalizing the details” of the type and quantities of medicines required, as well as the conditions for their delivery, the source said. A source close to Hamas confirmed to AFP that talks had been held on allowing the entry of medicines, but that discussions were ongoing.
Israel criticized the UN human rights office for not reiterating its calls for the release of the hostages in a statement marking the looming 100th day of the conflict. “A call for a cease-fire, without demanding the release of our hostages and the disarming of Hamas, is a call for terrorism to win,” its office in Geneva said. The UN high commissioner for human rights, Volker Turk, has called repeatedly for the hostages to be freed. In the occupied West Bank, Israeli troops killed three militants after they attacked a Jewish settlement, the army said.
It said there had been a “terrorist infiltration” in the Adora settlement, some 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of Hebron, and soldiers had come under fire.
The soldiers searched the area and “three assailants were identified and neutralized by the security forces.” When questioned by AFP, the Israeli army confirmed the death of the three assailants, while the Palestinian agency Wafa identified them as a 19-year-old and two 16-year-olds. Since the war in Gaza broke out, violence in the occupied West Bank has also surged, with at least 337 people killed by Israeli troops or settlers, according to the health ministry in Ramallah.

UN human rights official warns Security Council of ‘very real’ risk of atrocities in Gaza
EPHREM KOSSAIFY/Arab News/January 13, 2024
NEW YORK: “Incendiary statements” by some within the Israeli leadership calling for the permanent resettlement of Palestinians in other countries have sparked fears that they are being deliberately forced out of Gaza and will not be allowed to return. A leading UN human rights Official warned the Security Council on Friday that “this must not be permitted” and that compelling Palestinians to evacuate their land might be tantamount to a war crime.
Ilze Brands Kehris, the assistant secretary-general for human rights, told council members that “the horror of the Oct. 7 attacks, for which there must be accountability, will not be forgotten.”
But the threat of forced displacement carries “particular resonance” for Palestinians, she added. “It is seared into Palestinian collective consciousness by what they refer to as the Nakba, or “catastrophe,” of 1948 when millions of Palestinians were forced from their homes,” she said. Brands Kehris was speaking during a meeting of the Security Council that was requested by Algeria to discuss the threat Palestinians face of forced displacement in Gaza. She said the mass displacement began on Oct. 12 when Israeli authorities ordered civilians living north of Wadi Gaza to leave their homes and head south, ahead of the launch of Israel’s military offensive.
“While Israel stated that its evacuation orders have been for the safety of Palestinian civilians, it appears that Israel has made scant provision to ensure such relocations comply with international law, in particular by ensuring access to appropriate hygiene, health, safety, nutrition and shelter, and taking steps to minimize the risk of separation of family members,” Brands Kehris said.
“Such compelled evacuations, failing to meet the necessary conditions for lawfulness, therefore potentially amount to forcible transfer: a war crime.
“These orders have often been confusing, requiring civilians to move to so-called ‘humanitarian zones’ or ‘known shelters,’ despite the fact that many such areas have been subsequently struck during Israeli military operations, and the lack of any capacity in the shelters to absorb more people.”
More than 90 percent of the population of Gaza is suffering from acute food insecurity, she added, and many are on the brink of “avoidable, human-made” famine. She stressed that starvation of a civilian population as a tactic of war is prohibited under international law.
“The unacceptably high civilian casualty rate, the nearly complete destruction of essential civilian infrastructure, the displacement of an overwhelming percentage of the population, and the abominable humanitarian conditions which 2.2 million people are being forced to endure raise very serious concerns about the potential commission of war crimes, while the risk of further grave violations, even atrocity crimes, is very real,” said Brands Kehris.
“The prospect of widespread famine and disease as Palestinians are crammed into the tiniest slivers of the Gaza Strip along the Egyptian border, in overcrowded and dire humanitarian conditions with insufficient aid and a collapse in the provision of basic services, while Middle Gaza and Khan Younis remain under sustained aerial bombardment, cumulatively heightens the risks of further massive displacement on a widening scale, potentially even beyond Gaza’s borders. With people desperate for safety and security, this is a risk the council must be alive to.”
The right of Palestinians to return to their homes must be subject to “an ironclad guarantee,” she added.
Martin Griffiths, the UN’s humanitarian chief, warned council members that any attempt to change Gaza’s demographics must be “firmly rejected.” He described the war in the territory as one being conducted with “almost no consideration for the impact on civilians.”
For nearly 100 days, he said, the relentless Israeli military activity has resulted in tens of thousands of people being killed or injured, the majority of them women and children. The forced displacement of 1.9 million civilians, 85 percent of the total population, has resulted in traumatized individuals having to flee repeatedly as bombs and missiles rain down upon them, he added.
Griffiths described overflowing shelters, dwindling food and water supplies, and the growing risk of famine. He said the healthcare system in Gaza is on the verge of collapse, with the result it is unsafe for women to give birth, children to be vaccinated, and the sick and injured to receive treatment. Infectious diseases are on the rise, he added, forcing people to seek refuge in hospital grounds.
“There is no safe place in Gaza,” Griffiths said. “Dignified human life is a near impossibility.”Efforts to send humanitarian convoys to northern Gaza face delays or denial of permission, putting aid workers at risk, he added.
“The lack of respect for the humanitarian notification system puts every movement of aid workers in danger,” he said. “Colleagues who have managed to make it to the north in recent days describe scenes of utter horror: corpses left lying in the road, people with evident signs of starvation stopping trucks in search of anything they can get to survive. “And even if people were able to return home, many no longer have homes to go to.”The provision of humanitarian assistance across Gaza is considered almost impossible, Griffiths said, given the limited access to crucial areas. He warned that the continuing spread further south of hostilities could result in mass displacement into neighboring countries, raising concerns about the possible forced transfer of the population or deportations.
Griffiths reiterated his previous call for “far greater compliance with international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians and the infrastructure they depend on, the provision of essentials for survival, the facilitation of humanitarian assistance at the scale required, and the humane treatment and immediate release of all hostages.” He also repeated his call for a ceasefire and for the Security Council to take urgent action to bring the war to an end.

Radar site in Sana’a targeted in fresh US strike against Houthi militia
ARAB NEWS/January 13, 2024
RIYADH: US forces conducted a fresh strike against a Houthi radar site in Yemen, the American military and the Iran-backed militia's official media both announced on Saturday.
In a statement, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strike targeted the radar site to degrade the militia’s ability to attack maritime vessels.
“This strike was conducted by the USS Carney (DDG 64) using Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles and was a follow-on action on a specific military target associated with strikes taken on Jan. 12 designed to degrade the Houthi’s ability to attack maritime vessels, including commercial vessels,” the CENTCOM said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
The latest strike occurred early on Saturday local time in Yemen.
The Houthi movement’s television channel Al-Masirah also reported that the strike targeted the Al-Dailami base in Sana'a, Yemen's rebel-held capital.
"The American-British enemy is targeting the capital, Sana'a, with a number of raids," Al-Masirah TV posted on X, formerly Twitter, citing its correspondent in Sanaa. “The American-British aggression targeted the Al-Dailami base in the capital, Sanaa,” it added. An official of Yemen’s Houthi group Ansarullah said on Saturday that there were no injuries in US latest strike against Houthi forces in Sanaa, and vowed a “strong and effective” response. “There were no injuries, no material nor human losses,” Nasruldeen Amer told Al Jazeera. The fresh strike came a day after US and British warplanes, ships and submarines launched dozens of air strikes across Yemen overnight in retaliation against Houthi forces for months of attacks on Red Sea shipping. Even as Houthi leaders swore retaliation, US President Joe Biden warned earlier on Friday that he could order more strikes if they do not stop their attacks on merchant and military vessels in one of the world’s most economically vital waterways. “We will make sure that we respond to the Houthis if they continue this outrageous behavior,” Biden told reporters during a stop in Pennsylvania on Friday. Witnesses confirmed explosions early on Friday, Yemen time, at military bases near airports in the capital Sanaa and Yemen’s third city Taiz, a naval base at Yemen’s main Red Sea port Hodeidah and military sites in the coastal Hajjah governorate. White House spokesperson John Kirby said the strikes had targeted the Houthis’ ability to store, launch and guide missiles or drones, which the group has used in recent months to threaten Red Sea shipping.
The Pentagon said the US-British assault reduced the Houthis’ capacity to launch fresh attacks. The US military said 60 targets in 28 sites were hit.
The Houthis, who have controlled most of Yemen for nearly a decade, said five fighters were killed, but they vowed to continue their attacks on regional shipping.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations information hub said it had received reports of a missile landing in the sea around 500 meters (1,600 feet) from a ship about 90 nautical miles southeast of the Yemeni port of Aden. The shipping security firm Ambrey identified it as a Panama-flagged tanker carrying Russian oil.
Drone footage on the Houthis’ Al-Masirah TV showed hundreds of thousands of people in Sanaa chanting slogans denouncing Israel and the United States.
“Your strikes on Yemen are terrorism,” said Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi, a member of the Houthi Supreme Political Council. “The United States is the Devil.”
Biden, whose administration removed the Houthis from a State Department list of “foreign terrorist organizations” in 2021, was asked by reporters if he felt the term “terrorist” described the movement now. “I think they are,” he said.
Spillover
The Red Sea crisis is part of the violent regional spillover of Israel’s war with Hamas, an Iran-backed Islamist group, in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.
Hamas militants rampaged through southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and seizing 240 hostages. Israel has responded by laying waste to large sections of Gaza in an effort to annihilate Hamas. More than 23,000 Palestinians have been killed. Tobias Borck, a Middle East security expert at Britain’s Royal United Services Institute, said the Houthis wanted to portray themselves as champions of the Palestinian cause but were mainly concerned about retaining power.
At the United Nations Security Council, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield defended the Yemen strikes, saying they were intended to “to disrupt and degrade the Houthis’ ability to continue the reckless attacks against vessels and commercial shipping.”Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said earlier that the US and Britain “single-handedly triggered a spillover of the conflict (in Gaza) to the entire region.” In Washington, Kirby said, “We’re not interested in ... a war with Yemen.”In a poor country only just emerging from nearly a decade of war that brought millions to the brink of famine, people fearing an extended new conflict queued at gas stations.
Oil price jumps
The price of Brent crude oil rose more than $2 on Friday on concern that supplies could be disrupted, but later gave up half its gain. Biden said on Friday he was “very concerned” about the impact of war in the Middle East on oil prices.
Commercial ship-tracking data showed at least nine oil tankers stopping or diverting from the Red Sea. The attacks have forced commercial ships to take a longer, costlier route around Africa, creating fears of a new bout of inflation and supply chain disruption. Container shipping rates for key global routes have soared this week
The strikes follow months of raids by Houthi fighters, who have boarded ships they claimed were Israeli or heading for Israel. Many of the vessels had no known connection to Israel. The United States and some allies sent a naval task force in December, and recent days saw increasing escalation. On Tuesday, the United States and Britain shot down 21 missiles and drones. However, not all major US allies chose to back the strikes inside Yemen. The Netherlands, Australia, Canada and Bahrain provided logistical and intelligence support, while Germany, Denmark, New Zealand and South Korea signed a joint statement defending the attacks and warning of further action. But Italy, Spain and France chose not to sign or participate, fearing a wider escalation. A senior US official accused Tehran of providing the Yemeni group with military capabilities and intelligence to carry out their attacks.Iran condemned the strikes but there has been no sign so far that Iran is seeking direct conflict. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said the White House could “restore security across the region” by stopping its “all-out military and security cooperation” with Israel.
(With Reuters and AFP)

Latest English LCCC  analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on January 13-14/2024
Will the US-British Strikes Stop the Houthi Attacks on Red Sea Shipping?
Simon Henderson/Wasington Institute/January 13/2024
Kataib Hezbollah Reveals Plans for Expanded Regional Attacks
 Ameer al-Kaabi, Hamdi Malik, Michael Knights
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/kataib-hezbollah-reveals-plans-expanded-regional-attacks
The militia's Abu Hussein wing continues to throw shade at other "resistance" groups and is now threatening U.S. bases in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and even Saudi Arabia.
On January 9, al-Mayadeen TV interviewed the military spokesman of Kataib Hezbollah (KH), Jafar al-Husseini, who was sanctioned by the U.S. government on November 17 for “coordinating with KH fighters planning attacks against U.S. military commanders in Iraq.” The interview is important because it shows KH trying to outshine other muqawama (resistance) actors by making very aggressive threats against U.S. targets and the Gulf states. Here is what he said on various subjects, translated verbatim:
Boasting About Weapons Capabilities
“We have grown in capabilities. We have used those capabilities in Syria and Iraq to target U.S. bases with drones and short-range smart missiles. However, we used longer-range drones to target Eilat in Israel, the Dead Sea, and even the Mediterranean Sea. There are different types of weapons that are not right to speak about in the media. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq used for the first time short-range ballistic missiles that targeted al-Asad Air Base and [other sites]. Al-Asad Air Base is one of the bases the Islamic Resistance targeted with short-range ballistic missiles [i.e., al-Aqsa-1 missiles; for a comprehensive list of militia attacks and associated weapons systems, see Militia Spotlight's strike tracker]. These operations are escalating, and these tactics are escalating as well. Using this kind of weapon and rockets...was specified for a certain phase, certain bases, and also for certain targets. However, the resistance entered a new phase, and now we are using advanced cruise missiles" [potentially referring to al-Arqab, a missile used against Israel on January 7].
Striking U.S. Targets Outside Iraq
“All the American bases are targets for the Islamic Resistance. We are talking about all the American existence in the West of Asia. The resistance is capable of reaching any point in West Asia where the Americans exist.”
Threatening the UAE
“There are hidden supporters of Israel from the Gulf Arabs, specifically the United Arab Emirates. The UAE has played a malicious role in this crisis. We are hearing that the UAE is working on opening a corridor passing Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and then Israel. If this happens, the resistance will have a different approach toward them. We will choose different options to face this kind of support. Those countries will take a portion of the resistance attacks if they take this step. We are not saying those countries don’t have a malicious role at this time because they do, but the coming days might include U.S. bases in the Gulf or other countries.”
Supporting Lebanon and Yemen
“The enemy can no longer fight one group at a time. Speaking of [invading] Lebanon, if the enemy thought of such foolishness, Iraqis would be present with men and equipment. We would defend Lebanon with the Lebanese. We can never let the resistance in Lebanon go. Yemen, this is going to be a completely different scenario. More options will be available to us in this battle. The Americans will see days they probably will not forget throughout history. There will be nightmares following them throughout history. With Yemen, there will be no calculated limits. All calculated limits will be put aside, and all options will be available. The Iraqi muqawama will be present [alongside] the other groups.”
Expanding the "Axis of Resistance"
“We have Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq. These countries are present and are facing the enemy. We also have the resistance in Bahrain and Hejaz [Saudi Arabia]. Even though their presence is not clear now, it will be more visible in the coming years and the coming confrontations. What we see is that in the coming years or a decade, the geography of this Axis will expand to reach East Asia and Caucasian countries. Resistance and free men always agree with each other and have a common goal. It is obvious that we don’t want to start attacking because we don’t have aggressive intentions. We want to defend the oppressed and defend our causes, and that is what gathers these countries.”
Plans After the Gaza War
“We don’t have any calculations except to stop the war and killing machines and lift the sanctions from Gaza. After that, we will reassess our options. As the resistance, we are proceeding to expel all the American troops from Iraq and some of the region, if not the whole region. The resumption of attacks on the U.S. was synchronized with [Hamas's October 7 al-Aqsa Flood operation]. Our operations against the U.S. will not stop if al-Aqsa Flood stops, but will continue. However, this topic can be talked about after Gaza. If the Americans leave Iraq and then attack one of the Axis countries, would the resistance stop and say, we had enough? No. The U.S. should leave the entire region to be safe from their evil. The American existence in any of those countries is evil and stretches to other countries. Expelling the U.S. from the region will make it stable, and that’s what we want.”
Analysis
The interview highlights a number of important strands in the thinking of the Iraqi muqawama and particularly KH:
KH speaks for the muqawama. Whether through Jafar al-Husseini or KH secretary-general Ahmad Mohsen Faraj al-Hamidawi (aka Abu Hussein), the U.S.-designated terrorist group has been very prominent in speaking for the muqawama and their "Islamic Resistance in Iraq" umbrella brand during the Gaza war. KH’s Abu Hussein wing (which Husseini was previously identified as belonging to) seems unwilling to let Akram Kaabi, the leader of Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, be the foremost public figure for the muqawama. The wing has also publicly mocked Asaib Ahl al-Haq.
Jealousy of the "real Hezbollahs" in Lebanon and Yemen. Husseini's interview might also reflect KH's jealousy toward Lebanese Hezbollah and the Houthi movement in Yemen, which has gradually become Iran's de facto "Southern Hezbollah." Both of these groups have been much more prominent than KH in the current crisis, yet Husseini made the risible claim that Iraqi groups could meaningfully help these more capable members of the "axis of resistance."
KH has a regional role. Husseini explicitly threatened the UAE and warned of attacks on U.S. bases across the Middle East. He also threatened potential future action against Bahrain and even Saudi Arabia. This underlines KH's probable role as Iran's main southward-facing proxy in Iraq, with responsibility for operations against the Gulf states.
KH showing off its special weapons. The interview strongly hinted that KH was responsible for firing cruise missiles toward Israel out of areas such as Babil, Karbala, and Anbar, the group's strongholds. This includes the failed launch of a Quds-class cruise missile in Babil on January 3. Husseini also boasted about KH using al-Aqsa 1 short-range ballistic missiles. These remarks are another indicator that top KH officials lack the operational security discipline to fully submerge themselves within the many facade brands established by the muqawama; eventually, they all resort to openly claiming attacks for egotistical and parochial reasons.

How How Yemen’s “Southern Hezbollah” Could Change Iran’s Deterrent Calculus
Michael Knights/Washington Institute/January 13/ 2023
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/heir-and-spare-how-how-yemens-southern-hezbollah-could-change-irans-deterrent
https://themessenger.com/opinion/us-british-strikes-houthi-attacks-red-sea-shipping-yemen-iran
Houthi militant activity during the Hamas-Israel war should challenge the perception that the group has a mere “marriage of convenience” with Tehran.
Since October 27, the Houthis have launched three medium-range ballistic missiles at Israel, a first since Saddam Hussein fired Scud missiles into the country in 1991. The Yemen-based jihadists have also launched at least eight salvos of cruise missiles and long-range explosive drones focused on the southern port of Eilat. Moreover, they have attacked U.S. assets directly during the Hamas-Israel war, shooting down one MQ-9 Reaper drone and routing numerous missiles near Navy vessels. If Iran continues to develop the group’s capabilities, the Houthis may provide the broader “axis of resistance” with a potent new chess piece.
In this timely Policy Note, Michael Knights assesses the rising Houthi threat and explains how the United States and its allies can respond more assertively and effectively. A revamped policy would recognize the intimate alliance between the Houthis and Iran—which has never been a “marriage of convenience,” as some analysts have imagined—and seek to counter the group’s aggression with the goal of securing U.S. interests and providing a better future for the Yemeni people.
fter weeks of attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea, with only occasional responses by U.S. and other navies, Western forces on Thursday unleashed a major series of attacks in Yemen on pro-Iran Houthi forces. The obvious questions are “how big?” and “how effective?”
It’s difficult to say just yet, but some parameters can be sketched out. And the initial score card is mixed. Strikes by missile or aircraft are reported on targets in more than a dozen places, including the capital Sanaa, the Houthi city of Saada, and the Red Sea port of Hodeida. We wait to see the verdict on how effective they were. Initial Houthi comment has mixed outrage and defiance.
It is obvious that the ambition of the main players, Washington and London, to “do something” was great. Having international trade disrupted by a group of rebels who a few years ago had little more than Kalashnikov rifles in their arsenals is outrageous. But the degree of international support has been less than encouraging, often verbal at best.
Since Oct. 7, when Hamas terrorists swept out of Gaza to kill and seize Israelis, the Houthis have effectively held hostage the international shipping at the southern end of the Red Sea, the entry point for ships heading north to the Suez Canal, and also the exit point for shipping heading from Europe to Asia. The Houthis say they are doing it for the Palestinians, acting against ships that were “giving support to the Zionist entity.” But that threat of damage or even seizure was dislocating about 15% of international trade. Owners and insurers of much merchant shipping have been redirecting cargoes around the southern tip of Africa. That’s safer, but more expensive because it adds days to the voyage, and that time is money, adding to costs.
An hour so after the attacks, the White House issued a statement by President Biden, saying, “U.S. military forces — together with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands — successfully conducted strikes against a number of targets in Yemen used by Houthi rebels to endanger freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways.” But the message was muddled by the lack of detail.
It seems only Britain took part alongside American forces — at least one warship was involved, as well as four Typhoon fighter-bombers that were flown from the British air base in Cyprus, with mid-air refueling en route. What Australia, Canada and the Netherlands contributed is less clear. Bahrain, the only Arab country named, presumably was included because it hosts U.S. naval forces Central Command, aka NAVCENT, the regional headquarters.
President Biden’s statement said “more than 50 nations have been affected in 27 attacks on commercial shipping. Crews from more than 20 countries have been threatened or taken hostage in acts of piracy.” It went on: “Last month, the United States launched Operation Prosperity Guardian, a coalition of more than 20 nations committed to defending international shipping …, and we were also joined by more than 40 nations in condemning Houthi threats. Last week, together with 13 allies and partners, we issued an unequivocal warning that Houthi rebels would bear the consequences if their attacks did not cease.” But, whichever way you cut it, when it came down to it, the only country with the U.S. at the sharp end was Britain.
US Strikes Back: Hits Iran-Backed Houthi Rebels in Yemen With Tomahawk Missiles and Fighters
Iran Warship Enters Red Sea as Houthis Continue to Attack Ships in the Area
White House Says Houthi Attacks on Ships in Red Sea ‘Fully Enabled by Iran’
A notable regional player that remained on the sidelines was Saudi Arabia, the country with the longest Red Sea coast and the port city of Jeddah — arguably the most affected by threats to the region’s shipping. But the Saudis have been at war with the Houthis for eight years and are now engaged in slow peace negotiations, which they clearly don’t want to jeopardize. Underlying that position is the unacknowledged fact that, despite its wealth and expensive Western military hardware, Saudi Arabia could not inflict defeat on its less sophisticated neighbor.
The other regional player to watch, of course, is Iran, which supports the Houthis and seems to be playing a game with the United States (and Israel) of which of its proxy militias to activate this month: Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, or another.
The U.S. and British action was an episode in this long-running series. It almost certainly wasn’t the concluding one. And there might well be another series after this one.
Simon Henderson is the director of the Gulf and Energy Policy program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Iran's Growing Ballistic Missile Threat
Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/January 13, 2024
Because of the apparent lack of oversight from world leaders, especially the United States, the rising provision of ballistic missiles by Iran to non-state actors --including terrorist and militia groups, as well as rogue states -- now presents a significant source of concern for global security.
The regime continues to hide behind its proxies, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. Those are Iran's human shields. That is why they have proxies in the first place: then it is the proxies doing the dirty work and being attacked, not Iran.
Unfortunately, unless Iran's leaders themselves feel seriously disrupted, why would they ever stop? The Obama and Biden administrations tried giving Iran billions of dollars in "carrots." Clearly that was a flop. The answer, all the same, is not: "Maybe there weren't enough carrots. So next time, we will give more of them!"To stabilize the Middle East, it is essential to apply ongoing pressure on the Iranian leaders themselves, to disrupt their accelerating programs to produce nuclear weapons and the missiles to deliver them, and to convince them, the old-fashioned way, that their hegemonic dreams of taking over the Middle East simply will not work. The period of the Biden administration's leadership has witnessed notable strides in Iran's ballistic missile capabilities. These encompass advances in range, accuracy and payload capacity. Because of the apparent lack of oversight from world leaders, especially the United States, the rising provision of ballistic missiles by Iran to non-state actors --including terrorist and militia groups, as well as rogue states -- now presents a significant source of concern for global security.
One of the key but lesser-known reasons behind the immense expansion of Iran's ballistic missile program in the last few years can be attributed to the U.S. Treasury Department declaring in October 2021 the removal of sanctions on Iran's Mammut Industrial Group and its subsidiary, Mammut Diesel. These companies had previously faced sanctions imposed by the Trump administration in September 2020 due to their identified roles as "key producers and suppliers of military-grade, dual-use goods for Iran's missile programs."
The expansion of Iran's ballistic missile program can also be attributed to various policies of the Biden administration, such as the infusion of billions of dollars into the Iranian treasury, overlooking Tehran's destabilizing actions in the region, and a lack of robust enforcement of sanctions, among other factors.
As of now, Iran has the Middle East's largest ballistic missile arsenal. Iran is the only country to have acquired long-range ballistic missiles before possessing nuclear weapons. This unique characteristic raises concerns about the potential dual-use nature of these missiles. The Iranian regime appears to be developing sophisticated missiles primarily designed as delivery vehicles for nuclear weapons.
The missiles employed today in various conflicts can, generally speaking, be traced back to Iran. Notably, the missiles deployed by Yemen's Houthis in targeting ships in the Red Sea have their roots in Iran. Similarly, the rockets and missiles used by Hezbollah and other groups, particularly those directed at Israel, have been supplied by Iran, showcasing the Iranian regime's support for terrorist groups.
In 2016, Hossein Salami, who today is commander-in-chief of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), told state-run IRIB television:
"Today, more than ever, there is fertile ground - with the grace of God - for the annihilation, the wiping out, and the collapse of the Zionist regime. In Lebanon alone, over 100,000 missiles are ready to be launched. If there is a will, if it serves [our] interests, and if the Zionist regime repeats its past mistakes due to its miscalculations, these missiles will pierce through space, and will strike at the heart of the Zionist regime. They will prepare the ground for its great collapse in the new era."
Russia is now moving forward with plans to purchase ballistic missiles from Iran. The move would signify a notable intensification of Iran's assistance to Russia. To date, Iran has also furnished Russia with "hundreds" of military drones to destroy Ukraine. Russia is reportedly buying 1,700 more such drones from Iran. The Iranian regime has also been establishing weapons manufacturing facilities outside Iran's borders, engaging in the production of advanced ballistic missiles and other weaponry in foreign countries, notably in Syria and Lebanon. Among the armaments being manufactured in these foreign facilities are precision-guided missiles, showcasing Iran's utilization of cutting-edge technology to hit specific targets accurately. This expansion of Iran's military-industrial capabilities beyond its borders allows the regime to conduct military operations or launch strikes on other nations indirectly through intermediary countries such as Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq. The Biden administration seriously needs to sustain, fully enforce and broaden the scope of sanctions already in effect. Even more urgently, the Biden administration needs to target Iran's ballistic missile program, and with it, the headquarters and military training bases of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran's regime uses these bases for both its own militias and for its proxies.
The regime continues to hide behind its proxies, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. Those are Iran's human shields. That is why they have proxies in the first place: then it is the proxies doing the dirty work and being attacked, not Iran.
Unfortunately, unless Iran's leaders themselves feel seriously disrupted, why would they ever stop? The Obama and Biden administrations tried giving Iran billions of dollars in "carrots." Clearly that was a flop. The answer, all the same, is not: "Maybe there weren't enough carrots. So next time, we will give more of them!"To stabilize the Middle East, it is essential to apply ongoing pressure on the Iranian leaders themselves, to disrupt their accelerating programs to produce nuclear weapons and the missiles to deliver them, and to convince them, the old-fashioned way, that their hegemonic dreams of taking over the Middle East simply will not work.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a business strategist and advisor, Harvard-educated scholar, political scientist, board member of Harvard International Review, and president of the International American Council on the Middle East. He has authored several books on Islam and US Foreign Policy. He can be reached at Dr.Rafizadeh@Post.Harvard.Edu
© 2024 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

A year of many elections, but what do they mean for democracy?
Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/January 13, 2024
On the face of it, 2024 should be the biggest celebration of the idea of democracy since the concept was introduced by the Greeks 2,500 years ago. Countries that between them account for more than half of the world’s population — more than 4 billion people — will hold elections in the months ahead. Among them are some of the most populated and influential nations, including the US, the UK, Russia, India and Pakistan. Yet, as history has taught us, while elections are crucial for the maintenance of the democratic system, simply sending people to polling stations far from guarantees the upholding of democratic principles — never mind the fact that not all of this year’s elections are expected to be free and fair. Despite welcoming this influx of plebiscites, therefore, we must also be cautious and consider the countries in which elections are likely to be genuine exercises in requesting the voters’ verdict on by whom they would like to be governed for a term set by law, and those in which voting is a mere charade designed to enable dictatorships of varying extremes to pretend, for the sake of perceived legitimacy, that they have popular support.
After all, the quality of the democratic system is measured as much by what happens between elections as during them. Without a robust separation of powers and systems of checks and balances, supported by a vibrant civil society and free media, there is a democratic deficit in the period before and after elections, during which the elected representatives and the executive might accumulate excessive power that could be easily abused.
Generally speaking, the fundamental principle of democracy is that the will of the people is the source of legitimacy in sovereign states. Although there are many models for democracy, at the heart of all can be found the values of critical participation, equality, and rights and freedoms for all. This is unlikely to be the case in all the elections that will take place this year, and in some of them authoritarian elements will, through fear and intimidation, attempt to prevent opponents from exercising their right to stand for election, and/or deny others the right to vote.
Elections are supposed to be a celebration of, and show of respect for, the political will of the people. They are also an opportunity for a society, within a limited period of time and in a focused manner, to be presented with alternative policy options and make an educated choice of whom to vote for.
At their best, elections should represent a time of hope for the electorate so that by making their choices at the ballot box they are helping to ensure a safer and better life for themselves and their families. However, in some of the newer democracies, but also in some of the more-established ones, we can see the cynicism of elected politicians who are serving their own vested interests and not those of their peoples. The consequential erosion of public confidence in the integrity of elections in such nations undermines the legitimacy of those elected to govern, the institutions they oversee and the very principles that constitute the democratic system.
By and large, when elections do not necessarily fulfill what we perceive as their democratic objectives, it is not because they are rigged, which would be an obvious reason, but because the very people who elect their representatives do not trust them. In Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member countries it has been found that less than half of the population trusts their governments. Figures from the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer revealed that more than half of the key economies of the world “actively distrust government, while less than a third of all countries actively trust government.” Elected politicians have also been found to be one of the least-trusted professions. In the absence of freedoms and rights, and the mechanisms for safeguarding these principles, elections are a redundant exercise.
According to Edelman, trust in government is in decline in all of its aspects, including leadership competence, understanding the fears and concerns of citizens, visionary thinking, decision-making based on facts rather than politics, and many other attributes we expect our leaders to possess.
If elections serve as a some sort of job-selection process, on the basis of this evidence it is a failed process in which voters choose between those they do not think are actually capable of doing the job or, worse, those they deem to be untrustworthy.
The long list of polls in 2024 began with the general election in Bangladesh on Jan. 7, which ended very much as expected, with a fourth consecutive win for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. But it raised a question: What is the point in holding an election when the main opposition is boycotting it and has dismissed the entire exercise as a sham? Many leaders and supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party were arrested, which led to a low voter turnout of 40 percent, compared with 80 percent in the previous election, in 2018. This low turnout, and the alleged harassment of the opposition, leaves the government with a handsome majority but hardly any credibility or legitimacy.
In neighboring Pakistan there is a move in the Senate to delay the elections scheduled for February because of “prevailing security conditions,” as well as expected cold weather.
And then, of course, there is the Russian presidential election, scheduled for March. It is hard to imagine any credible challenger to Vladimir Putin being allowed to run.
However, even the more established liberal democracies, including the US and the UK, that will hold crucial elections this year are experiencing crises. They find themselves facing challenges such as the rise of populism, deep divisions within their societies, and the effects of external interference through the use of social media and artificial intelligence. Consequently there is less space for the type of constructive debate that might yield a result that best serves the country; instead we see further divisions within societies and, in extreme cases, governments that serve only their own vested interests.
Do not get me wrong, elections are still an important part of the mechanism for maintaining democracy and very much to be desired, and a year in which we will see so many of them promises to whet our political appetite, especially as some of them will be of serious consequence not only for the country involved but the wider world order.
Nevertheless, one needs to avoid the confusion of viewing the holding of an election alone as being democratic, or even representative of the will of the people. In the absence of freedoms and rights, and the mechanisms for safeguarding these principles, elections are a redundant exercise.
• Yossi Mekelberg is a professor of international relations and an associate fellow of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at international affairs think thank Chatham House.
X: @YMekelberg

The many faces and deprivations of poverty
Ehtesham Shahid/Arab News/January 13, 2024
The Asian Development Bank’s 2023 report, “Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific,” explains the persistently relevant subject of poverty as one that “goes beyond lack of income or the absence of financial resources to meet basic needs.” Multiple complex issues and situations converge to push people into poverty, the report claims, adding that, while extreme poverty in developing Asia is forecast to shrink to 1 percent of the population by 2030, rates of moderate poverty and economic vulnerability will remain disturbingly high.
The “complicated problems” surrounding poverty compelled stakeholders to include a new way of measuring it, the global Multidimensional Poverty Index, which became part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. Instead of just looking at how much money people have, this approach analyses other things that make life difficult for impoverished people. These include insufficient food, clean bathrooms, good medical care, school or access to essential services, and a job. They use a score that looks at all these problems to determine poverty’s direness.
Besides being a global measure of acute multidimensional poverty covering 100 developing economies, the Multidimensional Poverty Index also complements traditional monetary poverty measures by simultaneously capturing the acute deprivations in health, education and living standards that an underprivileged person faces. Cooking fuel, for instance, is one of the six indicators in the living standard dimension of poverty. Over the years, economists have highlighted the various facets of poverty and explained that it can adversely impact the poor’s economic behavior, which is often construed as irrational.
Poverty can lead individuals to save little money and borrow too much to cover their essential expenses, leading to a vicious cycle. It can make people focus on immediate needs rather than planning for the future. However, the most poignant element of the Asian Development Bank’s report is “paradoxical evidence,” suggesting it may cost more to be poor, especially during crises and uncertainty.
It is akin to a daily wage worker having to co-pay the insurer more for a medical service than someone with comprehensive insurance providing zero co-payment. While poverty in all its forms is degrading and detrimental to the development of human potential, only a bottoms-up approach can make a significant difference. If the poorest of the poor get a chance at life, those higher up the ladder will get inspired and find ways to survive and excel.
The UN Development Programme's global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2023 says the higher the incidence of poverty, the higher its intensity. According to the study, 1.1 billion of the world’s 6.1 billion population are poor and 485 million live in severe poverty across 110 countries. Moreover, 534 million out of 1.1 billion people — i.e., half of all poor people — live in sub-Saharan Africa. More than a third of all poor, 389 million, live in South Asia and almost 84 percent of the poor live in rural areas. While all these figures present unique faces and deprivations, one solution cannot fit them all.
People in poverty often face discrimination, which can profoundly impact their mental and emotional well-being.
The UN Development Programme recommends addressing impoverished individuals’ various interconnected challenges, which is crucial to combating poverty effectively. Research shows that people in multidimensional poverty typically experience multiple hardships and breaking down the global index into specific indicators clarifies the most common overlapping challenges. This means that stakeholders can concentrate on tackling impoverished individuals’ many difficulties.
This can be achieved by analyzing data related to Multidimensional Poverty Index values, the percentage of people living in poverty, their severity, the total number of impoverished individuals and the factors contributing to their poverty. This approach aims to reduce severe multidimensional poverty.
Using multidimensional and monetary poverty metrics to measure things people lack that are not related to money is a good idea. These deprivations encompass various nonfinancial aspects of well-being and quality of life that can significantly affect a person’s living conditions and opportunities.
Seeking an end to the poor population’s deprivations goes beyond the call of conscience. People in poverty often face social stigma, exclusion and discrimination, which can profoundly impact their mental and emotional well-being. Poverty can also increase the risk of exposure to crime and violence, leading to a sense of insecurity and fear among affected individuals. Policies and initiatives aimed at poverty reduction should consider these broader dimensions of deprivation to improve the overall well-being of impoverished individuals and communities.
Poverty can also vary in terms of the degree of its manifestation. For instance, absolute poverty differs from relative poverty, which is defined as the standard of living within a particular society or community. Chronic poverty refers to long-term and persistent deprivation spanning generations. Individuals or families trapped in chronic poverty often struggle to escape due to structural barriers and lack of opportunities. Situational poverty is temporary and occurs due to specific life events or crises such as job loss, illness, natural disasters or divorce.
Understanding the various faces of poverty is essential to the development of targeted policies and interventions that can alleviate its effects and help create a more equitable and inclusive society. Poverty is not a one-size-fits-all issue; addressing its diverse dimensions requires a persistent, nuanced approach.
• Ehtesham Shahid is an Indian editor and researcher based in the UAE.
X: @e2sham

Gaps in space law are fueling a Wild West attitude
Dr. Amal Mudallali/Arab News/January 13, 2024
The late President John Kennedy challenged America to lead in space. He said: “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
Space is hard. Last week, we learned how hard it can be when we saw what promised to be a historic mission to the moon for the private sector fail, after a successful launch.
Astrobotic Technology and the United Launch Alliance’s launch of their lunar lander, Peregrine, on a Vulcan Centaur rocket from Cape Canaveral was a shared venture by Boeing and Lockheed Martin. While they provided the design, Blue Origin of Jeff Bezos provided the engines of the rocket that was carrying the lander into space and to the moon. The mission, part of NASA’s Artemis Program and carrying the space agency’s payloads of scientific experiments, was to make history twice: as the first American landing on the moon’s surface in over 50 years, since the Apollo mission of 1972, and the first for a private company and the commercial sector to land on the moon. The lunar lander was supposed to soft-land on the moon’s south pole, but after a successful launch to orbit, the Peregrine developed problems with its propulsion system and the company tweeted that “the propellant leak” meant the landing was not happening. But NASA and the private sector will have another attempt when they launch in February a second mission on the Falcon 9 rocket of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, on behalf of Intuitive Machines, carrying payloads for the American space agency. It aims to land on the moon on Feb. 22 if the mission is successful. This will make it the first private company to land on the moon, if it succeeds, after the failure of the ULA launch earlier this week.
These two missions represent the new, “different approach” that NASA is taking to space exploration. NASA administrator Bill Nelson said in a press conference last week that “we live in a golden era of exploration,” and “this time we go back to the moon in order to be able to learn, to live, to create, and to invent in order that eventually we can go to Mars” — but this time with commercial and international partners.
While upbeat and affirming that safety is NASA’s top priority, he announced what the space agency called an update to the Artemis program schedule, while the media called it a delay.
Artemis II, a crewed mission that will circle the moon and not land, was pushed until September 2025, while Artemis III is slated for 2026 now, with astronauts including the first woman and man of color to land on the south pole. Artemis IV will remain on schedule for 2028, Nelson said.
NASA officials cited technical problems related to the capsule’s heat shield and “the electronics in the life support system” that need to be studied and fixed before any mission can take off, demonstrating how hard going to space can be. NASA deputy administrator Jim Free told the press: “We will launch when we are ready.”Regardless of the challenges and delays in NASA’s Artemis schedule, a new era has dawned on space exploration. The commercialization of space has begun and there is no turning back. The space economy is “projected to grow 74 percent by 2030, hitting a value of $642 billion,” according to the book “Space Economy” by Simonetta Di Pippo, former director of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs.
The failed missions of today will be successful ones soon. The train has left the station for the space economy and the role of the private sector in space. While governments went to space first for inspiration and exploration for the sake of all humanity, governments and diverse private sector actors are motivated not only by exploration but by economic and commercial benefits, and with the goal of extracting the resources of the moon and other terrestrial bodies such as asteroids in the near future.
As the new era in space opens a new and promising chapter for humanity, it is important that space powers get it right because space faces being what American Defense Department officials call the three Cs: congested, contested and competitive.
Thousands of satellites roam the low Earth orbit and the geosynchronous orbit, where 80 countries have registered satellites in orbit and 11 countries have launch capability, according to NATO’s “Legal Gazette.” UNOOSA put the number of individual satellites in space at 11,330 as of June 2023, a 37.94 percent increase since January 2022.
The number of satellites in space is exploding. Consulting firm Quilty Space predicts that 22,000 new satellites will launch by 2030, and Musk’s SpaceX wants to launch 40,000. More satellites in space means more danger of collision and more debris.
The European Space Agency estimates that there are 170 million pieces of debris in orbit. While some are old and discarded satellites, or pieces of satellites that were destroyed during anti-satellite tests, others are as small as 1 mm. But even debris as small as a grain of sand can do a lot of damage, traveling at 17,000 miles per hour and presenting a great danger to other satellites, the International Space Station and other future space operations.
In the absence of a new international treaty on space, nations are trying to fill the gaps with their own space laws.
This has led experts to warn of anarchy, bemoaning that space is becoming a graveyard with potential catastrophes if no solution is found. Many countries are working on debris monitoring and removal, but the technology is still in its infancy and the challenge is too big.
Space is also contested amid great power rivalry. Many space powers have already called space a warfighting or operational domain, and have established space forces.
But the real competition will be over the moon and its resources. The moon is believed to be rich with material essential for producing energy such as helium 3, and other material critical for clean energy on Earth and helpful in energy transition. Asteroids are even richer, with gold and other rare earth materials. Competing over them will fuel conflict in space.
Di Pippo talks in her book about the negative impact that resource extraction from asteroids can have on Earth’s economy. She cites experts predicting that gold and platinum from asteroids that are rich in metals could quickly destroy the global economy. She also cites simulations that concluded that if a “considerable extraction of material from asteroids” takes place, the “price of gold would plummet by 50 ercent with serious geopolitical consequences.”
This space race, and the entry of the commercial sector to space exploration, are happening at a time when space governance is weak and the magna carta of space law, the UN Outer Space Treaty, is outdated.
Gaps in space law are fueling a Wild West attitude when it comes to what is permissible in space, in addition to different interpretations of the laws and treaties that exist by spacefaring nations to fit their interests. In the absence of new or updated international treaties on space which take into consideration new developments in space exploration, especially the entry of the private sector, nations from Luxembourg to the UAE and Japan to the US are providing possible solutions while also inviting criticism.
In 2015, Congress passed the US Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act, which gives American companies the right to own space resources such as materials extracted from asteroids or the moon.
Former President Donald Trump issued an executive order, while affirming American commitment to the Outer Space Treaty, that the US “does not view space as a global commons.” He directed his secretary of state to lead US government efforts to “object to any attempt to treat the 1979 Moon Agreement as expressing customary international law.”
That agreement, which was not endorsed by any of the major spacefaring powers, calls the moon and its natural resources “the heritage of mankind,” and prohibits ownership of its resources.
The Outer Space Treaty also considers the “exploration of outer space,” including the moon and other celestial bodies, “the province of all mankind.” It affirms in its Article II that outer space “is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means.”
The Artemis Accords have their own principles that its members have to adhere to, and while they affirm their commitment to the Outer Space Treaty, they clearly state that “the extraction of space resources does not inherently constitute national appropriation under article II of the Outer Space Treaty.”
The Artemis Accords talk about establishing “safety zones” on the moon to “avoid harmful interference.” China and Russia have criticized these zones, and experts point to Article I of the Outer Space Treaty that says outer space “shall be free access to all areas of celestial bodies.” They point out that this raises questions regarding sovereignty on the moon and other celestial bodies.
We got a glimpse of what is in store for space this past week during the ULA launch when Native Americans protested that the payload carried DNA and human cremains to the moon, desecrating it and violating their beliefs because the moon is sacred to them.
The company was carrying DNA from four presidents, and cremains and other forms of DNA from around 200 people, some going to the moon while others were intended to go beyond to outer space, according to American media. NASA argued that the mission was undertaken by a private company, and it is not responsible for what a private company takes to the moon.
Actually, this is not accurate. Article VI of the Outer Space Treaty is very clear that states party to the treaty “shall bear international responsibility for national activities in outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, whether such activities are carried on by governmental agencies or by non-governmental entities.”The entry of the private sector to space exploration without new guidelines, laws and international treaties will open a Pandora’s box and a new domain for conflict, this time in the heavens.
• Dr. Amal Mudallali is a consultant on global issues. She is a former Lebanese ambassador to the UN.

Gaza war and the paralysis of the UN Security Council
Maha Akeel/Arab News/January 13, 2024
In a TV interview during the UN General Assembly last September, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said power, especially at the Security Council, was not in his hands but in those of the member states. What he had was a voice, and convening power.
At that time the war in Ukraine was the center of attention, and he commented on his inability to intervene to stop it. He described the situation at the Security Council as a “paralysis of political decision”: the geopolitical divide had paralyzed the ability to take action.
This wasn’t the first time the Security Council had failed to act to protect civilians and prevent wars and atrocities, but the war in Gaza that erupted a few weeks later has made that paralysis more severe and glaringly obvious. It clearly demonstrated that the Security Council was not living up to its primary responsibility, which is to maintain international peace and security. Member states individually have the power, particularly the permanent five, but they intervene only when it is in their interests, regardless of the killing, mayhem and suffering of the innocent.
This raises the question, what is the purpose of the Security Council?
At the time of his interview, Guterres was proud of the work of the UN’s humanitarian sector. In Gaza, even that has been inefficient and inadequate because of Israel’s refusal to allow humanitarian aid into the enclave, which had already been under Israeli blockade for 16 years. Even UN staff and facilities have been targeted, resulting in the deaths in just a few months of more UN personnel, not to mention journalists, than in any other conflict. Meanwhile, Palestinians in Gaza are being killed, forcibly evicted, displaced and left to suffer homelessness, starvation, thirst, disease, and now the cold weather as the whole enclave has been reduced to rubble and rendered uninhabitable — all in the eyes and ears of the world, including the Security Council.
For many who had some hope or belief in the international system, the disappointment and disillusion are great. The already weak, disenfranchised and powerless now feel helpless and abandoned.
However, there are still means to stop this vengeful, ferocious, inhumane aggression on Gaza and bringing the perpetrators to justice. South Africa has filed an application at the International Court of Justice in The Hague accusing Israel of breaching the 1948 Genocide Convention. The court is the UN’s principal judiciary organ. Its role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by states, and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by UN entities and agencies.
After two days of hearings, the world now waits to see how much power the court actually has. In its request, South Africa asked for provisional measures to “protect against further, severe and irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention” and “ensure Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention not to engage in genocide, and to prevent and to punish genocide.”
South Africa has filed an application at the International Court of Justice in The Hague accusing Israel of breaching the 1948 Genocide Convention.
Will politics and power influence how the case moves forward? What are the expectations? Who will stand with which side? And who will enforce any ruling made by the court?
The Gaza war has revealed many things: the double standards of the West, the hypocrisy, the dominance, and the hegemony. Human rights and international law seem to apply only to certain peoples. Freedom of expression and of the press are paramount only if they conform and align with those who define and determine their boundaries.
Western countries, especially the US, have lost much of their credibility and moral leadership. Perhaps one of the main revelations of this war has been how much power and influence the Israeli lobby has on US politics and society. If you want to have a long and successful political career, if you want to continue working in Hollywood, if you want to keep your media job and academic standing, you need to be in the good books of “you know who” or you will be discredited and destroyed by the label of antisemitism, or find yourself entangled in other serious accusations.
Any country lucky enough to be in the orbit of protection of one of the five permanent members of the Security Council is assured of immunity from prosecution and the freedom to act with impunity. Otherwise, it can expect to be held accountable and responsible for violating international laws and obligations.
Perhaps this is why armed non-state actors are finding more space to act, with diplomatic and peaceful means blocked. They are taking charge, disrupting and challenging the status quo.
This is not a good sign for peace and security.
In his TV interview Guterres expressed frustration at the high level of division and unpredictability among the Security Council members, which undermined trust in the UN’s peacemaking and peacekeeping efforts. The outdated and dysfunctional state of affairs at the Security Council puts the whole world at risk of increasing violence and humanitarian suffering as people become more vulnerable to crises and disasters.
It is absolutely time to reform the council’s structure, privileges and role. Leaving things as they are will not be conducive to peace and security, as more actors emerge with the means of disrupting and challenging the dominance and hegemony of those in power, creating new possibilities, environments and engagements that may lead to more crises, war and suffering.
• Maha Akeel is a Saudi expert in communications, social development, and international relations. She is a member of the UN’s Senior Women Talent Pipeline. X: @MahaAkeel1