Monday, May 20, 2024
1610 GMT –– Four dead in Israeli strikes on Lebanon: Hezbollah
A source close to Hezbollah has said four militants were killed in south Lebanon, with the group announcing two dead and a retaliatory attack, while Israel claimed strikes.
A source close to Hezbollah said that "at least four Hezbollah members were killed in Israeli raids on two different sites in southern Lebanon", identifying the locations as Naqura on the coast and Mais al Jabal, a border village to the east.
The movement said two of its members, both from Naqura, had been killed, without providing further details.
1601 GMT –– Threat from Israeli operations preventing Rafah crossing aid deliveries: Egypt
The cessation of aid deliveries through the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza is connected to the threat posed to humanitarian work by Israel's military invasion in the area, Egypt's foreign minister has said.
"Now there is a military presence on the outskirts of the Rafah crossing and military operations that put aid convoys and truck drivers in danger," Sameh Shoukry told reporters after meeting his Greek counterpart in Cairo.
"The procedures resulting from Israeli military operations affect the operation of the Rafah crossing," he said.
14:55 GMT: ICC prosecutor calls for arrest warrants of Netanyahu, Gallant
The International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor has asked for arrest warrants against Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, a statement said.
ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan said there are reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu and Gallant bear criminal responsibility for war crimes, crimes against humanity.
The ICC has also asked for arrest warrants for three Hamas leaders, its statement further said, namely Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri (Deif) and Ismail Haniyeh.
05:22 GMT –– An overnight Israeli air strike has killed dozens of Palestinians in central Gaza, mostly women and children, as Israel's leaders aired divisions over who should govern Gaza after the war, now in its eighth month.
The air strike in Nuseirat, a built-up Palestinian refugee camp in central Gaza, killed 27 people, including 10 women and seven children, according to records at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in nearby Deir al-Balah, which received the bodies.
A separate strike on a Nuseirat street killed five people, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent emergency service. In Deir al-Balah, a strike killed Zahed al-Houli, a senior police officer, and another man, according to the hospital.
05:15 GMT — Qassam Brigades claims striking Israel, killing soldiers
Hamas's armed wing Qassam Brigades said they killed and wounded Israeli soldiers, destroyed military vehicles in Jabalia and Rafah and struck the Israeli city of Sderot.
The Qassam said in a series of statements on Telegram that its fighters carried out joint operations with the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, in Jabalia camp in northern Gaza.
They added that they managed to "engage with a special Zionist force entrenched behind the martyr Imad Akel Mosque, causing casualties among its members." They also said they succeeded in "targeting another force on al-Albani Street and managed to detonate a Merkava tank with an explosive device on al-Ajarma Street."
05:07 GMT — Yemen's Houthis launch anti-ship ballistic missile over Gulf of Aden: US
Yemen's Houthis launched an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) over the Gulf of Aden, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said Sunday.
"There were no injuries or damage reported by US, coalition or merchant vessels," CENTCOM said in a statement.
"This continued malign and reckless behaviour by the Iranian-backed Houthis threatens regional stability and endangers the lives of mariners across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden," it added.
05:00 GMT — Ireland aims to recognise Palestinian statehood this month: Premier
Ireland's prime minister said his country will recognise a Palestinian state by the end of this month while stressing that he does not seek to cut ties with Israel.
Speaking in Longford, Simon Harris said Ireland will recognise Palestine by the end of May, Irish public broadcaster RTE reported.
"Less than zero interest in getting involved in some sort of back and forth," said Harris, referring to reports of a diplomatic row after a phone call he had with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
For our live updates from Sunday, May 19, click here
